Arizona State vs Duke Prediction, Picks & Odds for December 31 — Sun Bowl

Arizona State and Duke will combine to clear the total in a game that could come down to the wire, one we ultimately expect the Sun Devils to escape with a win.

JD Yonke - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
JD Yonke • Betting Analyst
Dec 29, 2025 • 10:50 ET • 4 min read

NCAAF

Match starts: 49 hrs
DUKE
56 %
ASU
44 %
EXPERT PICK - TOTAL
o49.5 (-113)
Read Analysis
Kenny Dillingham Arizona State Sun Devils NCAA College Football
Photo By - Imagn Images. Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on the sidelines.

The GR-R-REATEST time of the year, bowl season, rumbles on as the Arizona State Sun Devils face the Duke Blue Devils in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Both programs have had recent success, as this game features last year’s Big 12 winner and this year’s ACC champ, and it’ll be broadcast on CBS at 2 p.m. ET.

See why my Arizona State vs. Duke predictions and college football picks are buying the Over on Wednesday, December 31.

Arizona State vs Duke predictions for the Sun Bowl

Who will win the Sun Bowl?

Arizona State will pull off the slight upset as the better-coached team. The Sun Devils had better overall EPA numbers despite facing a more challenging schedule, so they stand a chance at pulling off the upset despite having significant absences on both sides of the ball. Duke’s Swiss Cheese defense remains the worst unit on the field.

Arizona State vs Duke best bet: Over 49.5 (-110)

The Sun Bowl offers a unique contrast of styles between the Arizona State Sun Devils, who play to the Under (4-8 O/U), and the Duke Blue Devils, an Over bettor’s team (9-4 O/U). With several absences on both defenses, here’s betting on Duke’s usual style of play coming through in El Paso.

Arizona State fielded a sound defense (5.0) yards per play, but that unit takes a hit without its top player, cornerback Keith Abney II. He allowed a catch on just 44.4% of his targets while leading the team in PBUs (9) and coverage grade (85.6 per PFF), and his absence will be felt against a great quarterback in Darian Mensah (3,646 passing yards, 30 touchdowns to 5 interceptions). 

The Sun Devils will also be without leading tackler Keyshaun Elliot, while third-leading tackler Myles Rowser continues to weigh his decision after declaring for the NFL Draft.

Duke scored 34 points per game while ranking 14th in PFF’s overall offensive grade, so the Blue Devils should find the end zone against a depleted defense. 

Meanwhile, Manny Diaz’s defense is a turnstile unit, allowing 6.1 yards per play. Despite featuring backup quarterback Jeff Sims, ASU should find offensive success against a porous unit that ranked 120th in EPA per play allowed before its two best players opted out.

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Arizona State vs Duke same-game parlay

Duke’s defense has been miserable all year, and now it will be without arguably its two best players. Chandler Rivers is an NFL corner and has five more PBUs than any other player on the roster, whereas Vincent Anthony Jr. leads the team in sacks (7.5) and is second in pressures (31).

Kenny Dillingham re-upped with Arizona State after being pursued by Michigan for its melodramatic coaching search. He’s a great coach, and his team should be fired up as the program continues to build momentum under a strong leader.

Arizona State vs Duke SGP

  • Over 49.5
  • Arizona State +2.5

Our deep-ball SGP: Don't Call it a Comeback

Duke’s defense is the worst unit on the field, meaning Arizona State is live for the entirety of the contest, even if it falls to an early deficit. Dillingham won’t be swayed into a pass-happy game plan if his team falls behind, which would allow Duke’s overly aggressive defense to have success.

Arizona State vs Duke SGP

  • Over 49.5
  • Arizona State moneyline
  • Duke -1.5 in first half

Arizona State vs Duke odds

  • Spread: Arizona State +2.5 (+100) | Duke -2.5 (-122)
  • Moneyline: Arizona State +128 | Duke -152
  • Over/Under: Over 49.5 (-110) | Under 49.5 (-110)

Arizona State vs Duke trend to know

Duke has cashed the Over in 10 of its last 14 games. Find more college football betting trends for Arizona State vs Duke.

How to watch Arizona State vs Duke

Location Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Date Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Kickoff 2:00 p.m. ET
TV CBS

Arizona State vs Duke latest injuries

Arizona State vs Duke weather

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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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JD Yonke
Betting Analyst

JD is a diehard college football fan with five years of experience writing betting and fantasy content for publications such as SportsGrid, Fantasy Points, Fantrax, and Devy Watch. An avid reader, he uses his inclination to look at things with an exhausting and in-depth, analytic viewpoint combined with a love for statistics and metrics to form a well-rounded handicapping approach.

e's an integral member of the niche (but growing!) college fantasy football community, twice traveling to Canton, OH for the Fantasy Football Expo as a member of the CFF King's Classic drafting squad. His specialization in college football DFS and prop betting taught him that there are exploitable markets to be found and that narrowing your focus is integral to being a profitable bettor.

A lifelong Californian who grew up playing baseball, basketball, football, and lacrosse, he's glad to share a passionate love for sports with this wonderful community.

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