Cal, Texas Tech, Look To Parlay Late-season Runs Into Independence Bowl Triumph – News18

Independence Bowl: California (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (6-6), Dec. 16, 9:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Line: Texas Tech by 3, in response to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series document: Texas Tech leads 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Both groups gained thrice within the final month of their common seasons to get right here and now have an opportunity to complete above .500. Cal completed the common season on a 3-recreation profitable streak to achieve the six-victory threshold for bowl eligibility and gained’t need that streak to finish. Tech shall be searching for its fourth victory in 5 video games and bounce again from its solely loss in that stretch, which got here towards No. 3 Texas.

KEY MATCHUP

Cal’s opportunistic protection and protection models, which mixed to rank second nationally in turnovers gained with 26, towards a turnover-inclined Texas Tech group that misplaced the ball 21 instances on offense or returns to rank worse in turnovers misplaced than 103 different groups.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

California: RB Jaydn Ott led the Pac-12 with 1,260 yards and 11 touchdowns dashing. Ott was named First Team All-Pac-12 by the league’s coaches, The Associated Press, College Football Network and College Football News. He additionally was one in all 10 nationwide finalists for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award.

Texas Tech: RB Tahj Brooks ranked fourth nationally with 1,443 yards and 9 TDs dashing. Brooks wants 139 dashing yards within the Independence Bowl to complete third on the Texas Tech single-season dashing chart. He has rushed for no less than 90 yards in every of the final 10 video games this season.

FACTS & FIGURES

Texas Tech has misplaced two of its high three receivers this season — Jerand Bradley and Myles Price — to the switch portal. … Texas Tech defeated Cal 45-31 within the 2004 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. … Texas Tech is enjoying in its third Independence Bowl and forty first bowl recreation general. … Tech seeks its third bowl victory in three years, having gained the Texas Bowl final season and the Liberty Bowl in 2021. … Cal is enjoying in its first look within the Independence Bowl and twenty fifth bowl general. … The Bears wish to finish the season on a 4-recreation win streak for the primary time since profitable their closing 4 video games in 1993 with a 37-3 victory over Iowa on the Alamo Bowl. … The final Cal group to finish the season on a profitable streak longer than 4 video games was in 1931 when the Bears gained their closing 5. … Cal has performed as soon as beforehand in Shreveport, Louisiana, shedding 41-34 to Louisiana Tech on Oct. 4, 1997.

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AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)