Two of the nation’s top-scoring teams will do battle in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium on Thursday night, as the Pac-10’s Arizona State Sun Devils (10-2) take on the Big 12’s Texas Longhorns (9-3).

In head coach Dennis Erickson’s first year on campus the Sun Devils rolled to a second-place finish in the Pac-10 behind USC, and a late-season 44-24 loss to the Trojans was the only thing that cost Arizona State a trip to the Rose Bowl. The Sun Devils were 34th in scoring offense with 32.2 points per game, and 52nd in overall offense. However, they were 117th in sacks allowed, which puts a lot of pressure on quarterback Rudy Carpenter to get rid of the ball quickly. But the Sun Devils can also hold their own on defense, coming in 27th in that category, and they were 13th against the run. Coming out of the Pac-10, which is usually known for putting up big offensive numbers, this is no small feat.

The Longhorns are also solid defending against the run as Texas was tenth in that category, and 54th in overall defense. This ranking was brought down by an alarming inability to shut down the pass, which is rated at 109th in the nation. But the Longhorns are not afraid to come out with their guns blazing, as they were 13th in total offense and 18th in scoring offense with 36 points per outing.

Colt McCoy had a stellar sophomore year, and gave Texas fans a lot of hope for next season’s shot at the national championship. But it was not entirely McCoy’s performance that led the Longhorns to second in the Big 12 South, as Jamaal Charles ranked just outside of the nation’s top ten in rushing, which kept teams from keying on the young quarterback.

The Longhorns are favored by a 2.5-point spread at SportsBetting.com in this bowl game . Texas is 1-2 in over the past eight years in the Holiday Bowl, while the Sun Devils are 0-2. Texas has won its last three appearances in bowl games, and this experience could give them an edge. However, they will have to slow down Carpenter and an Arizona State aerial attack that can put up points with the best of them.

Odds (SportsBetting.com)
Arizona State: +2.5
Texas: -2.5 (O/U 62)