The Citrus Bowl this postseason features No. 17 LSU and Purdue in what will be an interesting matchup between SEC and Big Ten opponents as we continue to ring in the new year on Monday. Both teams had strong runs towards the end of the season, and are looking to finish on the highest of notes and build momentum toward next season.
The Tigers shocked the college football world this season when they won the SEC West in coach Brian Kelly's first season leading the program. The Boilermakers reeled off three straight games to earn the Big Ten West to earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, but ran into the Michigan buzz saw to fall short of claiming conference supremacy.
The Tigers will be searching for their first double-digit win season since the historic 2019 season that ended with a national championship, while the Boilermakers will be looking to reach the nine-win mark for the second straight season.
How to watch Citrus Bowl live
Date: Monday, Jan. 2 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Camping World Stadium -- Orlando, Florida
TV: ABC | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
LSU vs. Purdue: Need to know
Keep an eye on the Tigers' QB situation: Dual-threat star Jayden Daniels got banged up late in the season and had to exit the SEC Championship Game when he reinjured his ankle midway through loss to Georgia. Garrett Nussmeier came in and threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns in essentially one half of football. Daniels already announced that he's coming back for another season, which puts Nussmeier's future in question. Kelly's management of his two quarterbacks will be fascinating considering Nussmeier clearly has what it takes to start at the Power Five level.
Purdue's coaching carousel: Purdue lost coach Jeff Brohm to Louisville following the end of the regular season, and his brother, Brian Brohm, will serve as the interim coach before Ryan Walters takes over prior to the 2023 season. Will that be a factor? It's unlikely that the system will change all that much, but the absence of quarterback Aidan O'Connell could force Brian Brohm to change some things for sixth-year senior Austin Burton.
Red zone success: Purdue is third in the Big Ten in red-zone scoring at 92.45%, while the Tigers rank fifth in the SEC in red zone scoring defense at 80.0%. It'll be fascinating to see how Purdue approaches its play calling inside the 20-yard line knowing that it has a backup taking the snaps and LSU has been solid in those situations.
Citrus Bowl prediction, picks
This is one of the biggest spreads in bowl season, and it's just too wide. The Tigers won't feel threatened by Purdue's offense and, for the most part, will play ultra-conservative football knowing that it won't have to do much in order to secure the win. The Tigers haven't covered in three of their last four games despite winning the division title, and that trend will continue even if they control the game for a full 60 minutes. Prediction: Purdue +14.5
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