The Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl is scheduled to kick off on Dec. 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET during the 2022-23 College Football Bowl Season. The game has been held at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso for nearly 90 years, making it the second-oldest bowl game behind the Rose Bowl. It’s one of 12 bowl stadiums to be the primary home of an FBS team, in this case UTEP. The No. 18 UCLA Bruins (9-3) play the Pittsburgh Panthers (8-4). Below, we’ll look at Sun Bowl odds and bowl history.
Sun Bowl odds: UCLA Vs. Pitt
To place a bet on the Sun Bowl, click on the odds in the table below. Toggle between spread, moneyline, total, or a blended view using the dropdown menu. Compare College Bowl Game Odds for every contest here.
UCLA is a favorite over Pitt in the Sun Bowl. In response to key Pitt opt outs, UCLA saw the line move three full points in their favor so far, with more movement possible. The over/under for this game is set at points.
Kedon Slovis re-entered the transfer portal and won’t play in this game. His backups– Nick Patti and Nate Yarnell– have 32 passing attempts this season with two combined touchdowns. All American defensive tackle Calijah Kancey opted out of the game after declaring for the NFL Draft along with three other starters. All American running back Israel “Izzy” Abanikanda– who led nation in rushing touchdowns this season– will also not play.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be playing his last game for UCLA. He led the Bruins to the sixth-most successful passing attack on the year and, alongside Zach Charbonnet (who will not play this game), the second-most successful rushing attack.
Pitt is one of the most ravaged teams in terms of opt outs. Most of their unit will come down to replacements against a full-strength UCLA team.
Notable Opt Outs
Pitt: QB Kedon Slovis, DL Calijah Kancey, RB Israel Abanikanda, SAF Brandon Hill, LB SirVocea Dennis, EDGE Deslin Alexandre, OT Gabe Houy
UCLA: RB Zach Charbonnet, WR Kazmeir Allen
Sun Bowl betting
Central Michigan filled in for Miami (FL) in last year’s Sun Bowl after their own game, the Arizona Bowl, was cancelled. Lew Nichols and crew shocked Washington State 24-21 as even-point underdogs thanks to a big first half by the Chips. Nichols– the nation’s leading rusher– picked up 138 yards on the ground on a rare rainy day in El Paso, but the CMU defense won the game late.
With just 45 combined points between the two offense-heavy teams, under 57.5 points easily cleared.
Previous Years
Favorites and underdogs have alternated covers every year dating back to 2013 while unders are 5-3 in that same stretch. Pac-12 reps have won seven of the last nine outings and were favored in every one of those instances. Outright upsets like CMU’s in 2021 are rare; the last outright upset came in 2012 where Georgia Tech beat USC.
History
Below are historical results of the Sun Bowl.
The Sun Bowl is the second-oldest bowl game in the nation (with Sugar and Orange Bowls), dating back to 1935. The first Sun Bowl with recognizable teams from the modern FBS came in 1938, where West Virginia beat Texas Tech 7-6. Regular meetings between modern FBS teams began in 1963.
| Date played | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 30, 2022 | Pitt | 37 | No. 18 UCLA | 35 |
| December 31, 2021 | Central Michigan | 24 | Washington State | 21 |
| December 31, 2019 | Arizona State | 20 | Florida State | 14 |
| December 31, 2018 | Stanford | 14 | Pittsburgh | 13 |
| December 29, 2017 | NC State | 52 | Arizona State | 31 |
| December 30, 2016 | No. 16 Stanford | 25 | North Carolina | 23 |
| December 26, 2015 | Washington State | 20 | Miami (Florida) | 14 |
| December 27, 2014 | No. 15 Arizona State | 36 | Duke | 31 |
| December 31, 2013 | No. 17 UCLA | 42 | Virginia Tech | 12 |
| December 31, 2012 | Georgia Tech | 21 | USC | 7 |
| December 31, 2011 | Utah | 30 | Georgia Tech | 27 (OT) |
| December 31, 2010 | Notre Dame | 33 | Miami (Florida) | 17 |
| December 31, 2009 | Oklahoma | 31 | No. 19 Stanford | 27 |
| December 31, 2008 | No. 24 Oregon State | 3 | No. 18 Pittsburgh | 0 |
| December 31, 2007 | Oregon | 56 | No. 23 South Florida | 21 |
| December 29, 2006 | No. 24 Oregon State | 39 | Missouri | 38 |
| December 30, 2005 | No. 17 UCLA | 50 | Northwestern | 38 |
| December 31, 2004 | No. 21 Arizona State | 27 | Purdue | 23 |
| December 31, 2003 | No. 24 Minnesota | 31 | Oregon | 30 |
| December 31, 2002 | Purdue | 34 | Washington | 24 |
| December 31, 2001 | No. 13 Washington State | 33 | Purdue | 27 |
| December 29, 2000 | Wisconsin | 21 | UCLA | 20 |
| December 31, 1999 | Oregon | 24 | No. 12 Minnesota | 20 |
| December 31, 1998 | TCU | 28 | USC | 19 |
| December 31, 1997 | No. 16 Arizona State | 17 | Iowa | 7 |
| December 31, 1996 | Stanford | 38 | Michigan State | 0 |
| December 29, 1995 | Iowa | 38 | No. 20 Washington | 18 |
| December 30, 1994 | Texas | 35 | No. 19 North Carolina | 31 |
| December 24, 1993 | No. 19 Oklahoma | 41 | Texas Tech | 10 |
| December 31, 1992 | Baylor | 20 | No. 22 Arizona | 15 |
| December 31, 1991 | No. 22 UCLA | 6 | Illinois | 3 |
| December 31, 1990 | No. 22 Michigan State | 17 | No. 21 USC | 16 |
| December 30, 1989 | No. 24 Pittsburgh | 31 | No. 16 Texas A&M | 28 |
| December 24, 1988 | No. 20 Alabama | 29 | Army | 28 |
| December 25, 1987 | No. 11 Oklahoma State | 35 | West Virginia | 33 |
| December 25, 1986 | No. 13 Alabama | 28 | No. 12 Washington | 6 |
| December 28, 1985 | Arizona | 13 | Georgia | 13 |
| December 22, 1984 | No. 12 Maryland | 28 | Tennessee | 27 |
| December 24, 1983 | Alabama | 28 | No. 6 SMU | 7 |
| December 25, 1982 | North Carolina | 26 | No. 8 Texas | 10 |
| December 26, 1981 | Oklahoma | 40 | Houston | 14 |
| December 27, 1980 | No. 8 Nebraska | 31 | No. 17 Mississippi State | 17 |
| December 22, 1979 | No. 13 Washington | 14 | No. 11 Texas | 7 |
| December 23, 1978 | No. 14 Texas | 42 | No. 13 Maryland | 0 |
| December 31, 1977 | Stanford | 24 | LSU | 14 |
| January 2, 1977 | No. 10 Texas A&M | 37 | Florida | 14 |
| December 26, 1975 | No. 20 Pittsburgh | 33 | No. 19 Kansas | 19 |
| December 28, 1974 | Mississippi State | 26 | North Carolina | 24 |
| December 29, 1973 | Missouri | 34 | Auburn | 17 |
| December 30, 1972 | No. 16 North Carolina | 32 | Texas Tech | 28 |
| December 18, 1971 | No. 10 LSU | 33 | No. 17 Iowa State | 15 |
| December 19, 1970 | No. 13 Georgia Tech | 17 | No. 19 Texas Tech | 9 |
| December 20, 1969 | No. 14 Nebraska | 45 | Georgia | 6 |
| December 28, 1968 | Auburn | 34 | Arizona | 10 |
| December 30, 1967 | UTEP | 14 | Ole Miss | 7 |
| December 24, 1966 | Wyoming | 28 | Florida State | 20 |
| December 31, 1965 | Texas Western | 13 | TCU | 12 |
| December 26, 1964 | Georgia | 7 | Texas Tech | 0 |
| December 31, 1963 | Oregon | 21 | SMU | 14 |
| December 31, 1962 | West Texas State | 15 | Ohio | 14 |
| December 30, 1961 | Villanova | 17 | Wichita | 9 |
| December 31, 1960 | No. 17 New Mexico State | 20 | Utah State | 13 |
| December 31, 1959 | New Mexico A&M | 28 | North Texas State | 8 |
| December 31, 1958 | Wyoming | 14 | Hardin–Simmons | 6 |
| January 1, 1958 | Louisville | 34 | Drake | 20 |
| January 1, 1957 | No. 17 George Washington | 13 | Texas Western | 0 |
| January 2, 1956 | Wyoming | 21 | Texas Tech | 14 |
| January 1, 1955 | Texas Western | 47 | Florida State | 20 |
| January 1, 1954 | Texas Western | 37 | Mississippi Southern | 14 |
| January 1, 1953 | Pacific | 26 | Mississippi Southern | 7 |
| January 1, 1952 | Texas Tech | 25 | Pacific | 14 |
| January 1, 1951 | West Texas State | 14 | Cincinnati | 13 |
| January 2, 1950 | Texas Western | 33 | Georgetown | 20 |
| January 1, 1949 | West Virginia | 21 | Texas Mines | 12 |
| January 1, 1948 | Miami (Ohio) | 13 | Texas Tech | 12 |
| January 1, 1947 | Cincinnati | 18 | Virginia Tech | 6 |
| January 1, 1946 | New Mexico | 34 | Denver | 24 |
| January 1, 1945 | Southwestern | 35 | UNAM | 0 |
| January 1, 1944 | Southwestern | 7 | New Mexico | 0 |
| January 1, 1943 | Second Air Force | 13 | Hardin–Simmons | 7 |
| January 1, 1942 | Tulsa | 6 | Texas Tech | 0 |
| January 1, 1941 | Western Reserve | 26 | Arizona State | 13 |
| January 1, 1940 | Arizona State | 0 | Catholic | 0 |
| January 2, 1939 | Utah | 26 | New Mexico | 0 |
| January 1, 1938 | West Virginia | 7 | Texas Tech | 6 |
| January 1, 1937 | Hardin–Simmons | 34 | Texas Mines | 6 |
| January 1, 1936 | Hardin–Simmons | 14 | New Mexico A&M | 14 |
| January 1, 1935 | El Paso All-Stars | 25 | Ranger (Texas) | 21 |
FAQ
When is the 2022 Sun Bowl?
The 2022 Sun Bowl will be played on Dec. 30, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Where is the Sun Bowl?
Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, hosts the Sun Bowl. It’s been played there since 1935 and now is the primary home of the UTEP Miners.
Who is playing in the 2022 Sun Bowl?
UCLA plays Pitt in the 2022 Sun Bowl.