Arizona State Sun Devils vs Duke Blue Devils Point Spread Picks

Arizona State is on a 13-6 ATS run dating to last season, and head coach Kenny Dillingham just signed an extension, so things are pretty stable in Tempe as the Sun Devils head into the Sun Bowl. They have won 14 of their past 19, and the Sun Devils are 5-1 ATS in their past six December games and 4-0 ATS in their past four neutral-site games. Arizona State is 4-0 ATS in its past four after totaling fewer than 170 yards passing in its previous game. Duke is 0-5 ATS in its past five non-conference games, and it will face a team with many players looking to impress, as the Sun Devils will be missing several starters due to opt-outs and transfers. Arizona State QB Jeff Sims has 466 rushing yards and three TDs on 93 carries. Sims has completed 78 of 150 pass attempts for 886 yards and seven TDs with five interceptions. He has already beaten Duke three times in his career when he played at Georgia Tech. Duke has three losses as a favorite versus Georgia Tech, Connecticut, and Virginia. The Blue Devils have allowed 32.2 points per game in their past six games. Take Arizona State. 

If you had to pick a team amongst the top candidates to be in a disappointment Bowl, it would have to be the Arizona State Sun Devils. Arizona State was 8-1 and in the conversation when it came to making the final four, but fell hard at Oregon State and then lost their finale to in-state rival Arizona. What looked like at least a New Year's Day Bowl setting, turned into a December 27 lesser Bowl against Duke, who will not get them motivated, and that is dangerous. The Duke program has emerged from the ashes, and any Bowl for this team is huge, and they will play hard. They fell just four points short of A&M in their Bowl game a year ago against Johnny Football. Duke is 19-7 SU and ATS the last two years, and certainly belongs here, and own wins over Virginia and Georgia Tech, and can certainly play close here. The Sun Devils are just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 on turf, and Bowl games have a lot to do with motivation. I just don't see any here for Arizona State. Grab the points and play on Duke.