LA Bowl Betting 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Washington State Cougars 29-6 in the 2022 L.A. Bowl.

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

The Washington State Cougars will be at a major disadvantage when they face the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Washington State Offensive Coordinator Eric Morris left to become the head coach at North Texas, while WSU Defensive Coordinator Brian Ward said goodbye to Pullman in order to become the new DC at Arizona State.

That could lead to some play-calling woes in the LA Bowl on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Washington State vs. Fresno State Betting Prediction

There will be a homefield advantage for this game as the Fresno State Bulldogs sold out their allotment of tickets earlier in the week and have requested additional blocks.

Fresno State has nearly its full team intact too, while the Washington State Cougars are dealing with some key losses in the transfer portal in addition to the situation with the coaches. That gives the Bulldogs a real advantage that the oddsmakers are underestimating in the LA Bowl.

Score Prediction: Fresno State 34, Washington State 23
Best Bet: Fresno State -4

Washington State vs. Fresno State Betting Odds

Washington State vs. Fresno State Betting Resources

• Date: Saturday, December 17, 2022
• Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ABC
• Venue: SoFi Stadium
• Location: Inglewood, California
• Expert Picks

Washington State Betting Analysis

Incarnate Word transfer Cameron Ward proved that he can succeed at the next level in his first season in Pullman. Ward lit up the FCS in 2020 and 2021, and he posted solid numbers for Washington State this season. The third-year sophomore completed 64.1% of his passes for 3,094 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Ward will be without three of his top four receivers for the LA Bowl. Leading receiver De’Zhaun Stribling and Donovan Ollie entered the transfer portal and have since signed with new teams, while seventh-year senior Renard Bell has called it a career after dealing with injuries for most of the season. The good news is that Nakia Watson and Jaylen Jenkins are still there to carry the load with the ground game, but the depth at receiver is stretched pretty thin.

The same is true in the linebacking corps for the Cougars. First Team All-PAC 12 linebacker Daiyan Henley has opted out of the LA Bowl in order to prepare for the NFL Draft. The next two leading tacklers at linebacker (Francisco Mauigoa and Travion Brown) have decided to enter the transfer portal, leaving this position group with a ton of inexperience ahead of Saturday’s game.

Washington State did rank 18th in Defensive SP+, but the linebackers were a key part of the team’s success, as the secondary is giving up 271.7 YPG through the air this season. Ron Stone and Brennan Jackson were Second Team All-PAC 12 defensive linemen, and they have their work cut out for them if the Cougars are going to stop the Fresno State offense. 

Fresno State Betting Analysis

If you haven’t seen First Team All-MWC quarterback Jake Haener play, you are in for a treat. There aren’t many players that show more grit than Haener, as he doesn’t exude athleticism and always seems to play hurt. Haener has led the program to some improbable wins during his time under center in the Valley, and he is a fan favorite alongside Fresno signal callers like Trent Dilfer, David Carr, and Derek Carr.

Haener missed a decent amount of the season due to injury, but he went on to complete 72.6% of his passes for 2,616 yards (8.3 YPA) with 18 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a First Team All-MWC pass catcher in Jalen Moreno-Cropper who hauled in 80 receptions for 1,051 yards and five touchdowns, and Nikko Remigio is an excellent complementary option. Star running back Jordan Mims earned first team all-conference honors too with 1,161 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

The Bulldogs are ranked 44th in Defensive SP+. However, they will have almost all their contributors in the LA Bowl. Defensive back Cale Sanders entered the transfer portal, but First Team All-MWC defensive end David Perales is ready to have a big game after recording 10.5 sacks in the regular season.

L.A. Bowl Best Bets

L.A. Bowl History

The L.A. Bowl is slated to make its sequel in December 2022 after its first ever showing in 2021. This is the only bowl named after a person instead of a sponsor, as it's name for late-night talk host Jimmy Kimmel.

This bowl pits teams from the Pac-12 Conference and the Mountain West Conference, as the MWC champion will appear in this game at the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers at SoFi Stadium.