Sugar Bowl Betting 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Alabama Crimson defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 45-20 in the 2023 Sugar Bowl.

Check out last year's coverage here below and tune back in with us soon for the 2023 Sugar Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions.

This is an unfamiliar feeling for the Alabama Crimson Tide. For just the second time in the College Football Playoff era, the Crimson Tide were not one of the top four teams in the country at the end of the regular season.

Alabama finished the year at 10-2, and that was good enough to get Nick Saban and company to another New Year’s Six game, but that is not what fans of the program have come to expect over the years.

Still, the last time they were in this situation, they pounded Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. The Kansas State Wildcats will try to avoid that when they face Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Saturday, December 31, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Prediction

Surprisingly, there were no opt outs for the Alabama Crimson Tide prior to this game. Although Alabama has the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in Bryce Young and a projected top five pick in linebacker Will Anderson, both players decided to stick around and play one more game for the Crimson Tide.

That will give them a huge boost ahead of their Sugar Bowl showdown with the Kansas State Wildcats, and the Crimson Tide will cruise to an easy victory in the first meeting between these two programs.

Score Prediction: Alabama 34, Kansas State 23
Best Bet: Alabama -7 (-110)

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Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Odds

Sugar Bowl Betting Resources

• Date: Saturday, December 31, 2022
• TV-Time: ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Caesars Superdome
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Expert Picks

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Analysis

Bryce Young is likely to be the first Alabama player selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the Nick Saban era. The Crimson Tide haven’t had a player go 1-1 since Joe Namath was taken with the first overall pick in the 1965 AFL Draft, but there is something truly special about Young.

He nearly willed Alabama to a win over Georgia in last year’s CFP National Championship Game, and Young posted solid numbers this season although Alabama did not have great receivers or an elite offensive line.

He completed 64.1% of his passes for 3,007 yards (8.4 YPA) with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season, and he was a decent scrambler when the occasion called for it too.

Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs was a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate for most of the season. Gibbs was Alabama’s best running back, picking up 850 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 6.3 YPC.

He was also the third leading receiver on the team with 42 receptions for 378 yards and three TDs. With Traeshon Holden transferring out of Tuscaloosa, the two receivers to watch in this game are Ja’Corey Brooks and Jermaine Burton.

Meanwhile, the other running back to keep an eye on alongside Gibbs is Jase McClellan.

Alabama ended the season ranked 4th overall in SP+ and 12th in Defensive SP+. The Crimson Tide boasted the best defensive player in the country in Will Anderson, and he had another dominant season with 10 sacks despite consistent double teams.

Anderson is a two-time All-American and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the last two seasons, so he should have an enormous impact on this game.

Linebacker Henry To’o To’o and defensive backs Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jordan Battle were also First Team All-SEC selections, so Kansas State will have a hard time moving the ball if this unit is locked in.

Kansas State Wildcats Betting Analysis

Adrian Martinez reportedly might be healthy enough to see action in this game, but Will Howard has been the more dynamic option under center since taking over as the starting quarterback.

Howard is completing 61.6% of his passes for 1,423 yards (8.7 YPA) with 15 touchdowns and two interceptions. He doesn’t represent the same mobile threat as Martinez, but he is a much better passer, and defenses have to respect his ability to throw downfield and make big plays.

Still, don’t be surprised if Martinez comes in with certain packages to use his mobility.

Top receiver Malik Knowles has been cleared to play after leaving the Big 12 Championship Game due to injury. Knowles was Kansas State’s best receiver with 47 receptions for 719 yards and two TDs in the passing game, so his return is big news.

Phillip Brooks, Kade Warner, and tight end Ben Sinnott have also seen extensive action as well as three-time Second Team All-Big 12 running back Deuce Vaughn. The 5’6 Vaughn ran for 1,425 yards and eight touchdowns, and he caught 42 passes for 378 yards and three TDs.

The Wildcats have one of the top defensive players in the country too in Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

Anudike-Uzomah was a big part of why Kansas State ranked 16th in Defensive SP+.

This secondary was superb too, and cornerback Julius Brents was named First Team All-Big 12 after leading the Wildcats with four interceptions.

Starting cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe is expected to play in this game too after sustaining an injury in late November.

Sugar Bowl History

The Sugar Bowl started in 1935, and the matchup currently features schools from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and at-large conferences. The game takes place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana as the previous venue for this contest was Tulane Stadium in New Orleans from 1934-1974. This game was named the USF&G Sugar Bowl and Nokia Sugar Bowl prior to Allstate acquiring sponsorship rights in 2007. 

The Sugar Bowl is part of the College Football Playoff rotation and was part of three semifinal matchups played in 2014, 2018, and 2021.

In Jan. 2021, Ohio State roughed up Clemson 49-28 to punch their ticket to the national title game, a rare 'over' result lately in the Sugar Bowl.

In the Jan. 1, 2022 game between Baylor and Ole Miss, the Bears knocked out Rebels QB Matt Corral early, and then used its defense for a 21-7 low-scoring win. The 'under' is now 6-1 across the past seven Sugar Bowls.

For more coverage of bowl season, check out our College Football Bowl Central!