The 2024 Sugar Bowl features the 12-1 Texas Longhorns against the 13-0 Washington Huskies. Here is the 2024 Sugar Bowl Preview.
Texas won 12 games to qualify for their second straight bowl game. They defeated eight bowl-eligible teams this season: Rice, Alabama, Wyoming, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Their lone loss of the season was to Oklahoma, who made a bowl game.
The Longhorns score 36 points per game, ranking them 16th in the country. They pass for 286.8 yards (ranked 19th) and rush for 189.2 yards per game (ranked 24th).
Quinn Ewers returned at quarterback for the Longhorns this season and has played well. He has passed for 3,161 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions on 70.7 percent completion. Five players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season. Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell have both been game-changers with 969 and 813 receiving yards respectively. Ja’Tavion Sanders has been effective from the tight end position with 607 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Lead running back Jonathan Brooks was lost for the season with an injury. C.J. Baxter and Jaydon Blue will have to step up after having 595 and 339 rushing yards this season respectively. Blue is averaging 6.1 yards per carry this season.
Defensively, Texas allows 17.5 points per game, ranking them 13th in the country. They give up 80.8 rushing yards (ranked third) and 240.8 passing yards per game (ranked 94th). Jaylan Ford leads the team with 94 total tackles. Ethan Burke paces the team with 5.5 sacks. Jerrin Thompson and Terrance Brooks each have forced turnovers with three interceptions each.
Washington won 13 games to make their second straight bowl game. They won eight games against teams that made bowl games: Oregon (twice), Boise State, California, Arizona, USC, Utah and Oregon State.
The Huskies score 37.7 points per game, ranking them 10th in the country. They pass for 343.8 yards (ranked first) and rush for 125.2 yards per game (ranked 100th).
Michael Penix Jr. had a great season that saw him become a Heisman finalist. He passed for 4,218 yards, 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 65.9 percent completion. Five players have at least 300 receiving yards on the season. Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk have been stars at the position with 1,428 and 1,000 receiving yards respectively. Jalen McMillan battled injuries but still registered 468 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
One running back has handled most of the workload for the Huskies. Dillon Johnson has been a workhorse running back with 1,113 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
On defense, Washington allows 23.6 points per game, ranking 49th in the country. They concede 133.8 rushing yards (ranked 38th) and 263.2 passing yards per game (ranked 120th). Dominique Hampton leads the team with 83 total tackles. Bralen Trice has pressured the passer with five sacks on the season. Jabbar Muhammad has made plays on the ball with 10 passes defended and three interceptions.
Texas has been inconsistent this season and things will be tougher without Brooks at running back. Washington can create turnovers an their offense has been able to spread defenses out to put up points. They can win a high-scoring game.
Washington Huskies 38 Texas Longhorns 33
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