SPECIAL: Sun Bowl predictions

FROM ESPN TO the Portland Tribune to personal blogs - there isn't a lack of opinion on who the winner of the 75th Sun Bowl between Oregon State and Pittsburgh will be. The majority of prognosticators predict a Beaver victory, but that was before it was announced Jacquizz Rodgers would not play.

McShay Previews the Brut Sun Bowl

NOTE: Many of these predictions were penned when the status of Jacquizz Rodgers was still up in the air

• The San Francisco Chronicle's Jake Curtis rates the Sun Bowl as the 11th best in the nation saying, "The running backs are the story here: Oregon State freshman Jacquizz Rodgers and Pitt sophomore LeSean McCoy. Such running-back duels are rare these days. The game should be close, too," but does not make a score prediction.
  
  
• The Portland Tribune's Kerry Eggers picks the Panthers to win 27-24 due to the Rodgers brothers being out and Pitt's advantage in the kicking game. "If it’s close – and I expect it to be – Pitt has the advantage with its outstanding kicker, Conor Lee, who doesn’t miss from 40 yards on in."
  
  
• The Los Angeles Time's Chris Dufresne picks the Sun Bowl as the 12th best bowl game picking the Beavers to win.
  
  
• Gene Sapakoff of the Charleston Post and Courier predicts the Beavers will win because, "the Beavers were a win away from Pasadena," and therefore are the better team.
  
  
• Matt Baxendell of CollegeSports-Fans.com has a decent preview of the Sun Bowl and questions Oregon State's motivation for the game after being one win away from the Rose Bowl. He expects a good game but for the Panthers to come out victorious 26-23.
  
  
• Vince Marotta of Fanster.com also questions the Beavers motivation in the Sun Bowl after "smelling roses up until the Civil War game" and says, "Pittsburgh’s methodical running game will wear down the Beavers’ defense, and the Rodgers’ injuries will be too much for OSU to overcome," as he predicts a 27-20 Pitt win.
  
  
• Derek Samson of a Sporting News blog says the Beavers can win if they put the Civil War loss behind them and have a healthy Quizz. He says the Panthers can win if McCoy gets a lot of touches.
  
  
• Another Sporting News blog poster says, "Oregon State's offense overpowers mediocre a Big East defense."
  
  
• Four out of five CBS Sports experts expect the Beavers to prevail in the 75th Sun Bowl.
  
  
• Tom Kessler of the San Franciso Examiner says Oregon State defense will shutdown the Panther offense with OSU winning 23-7.
  
  
• Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch says, "Not exactly what Pitt fans had in mind after hearing they were "going South" for the holidays" and predicts a Beaver 34-21 win.
  
  
• SportsProjections.com predicts a Beaver victory.
  
  
• Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com expects a tight game, but expects Pittsburgh to win saying, "If Jacquizz Rodgers was 100 percent, I might go with the Beavers, but I like McCoy to lead the Panthers to win in a tight game."
  
  
• ESPN.com's Ted Miller picks Pitt to win the game 27-24 citing the same reasons as Feldman.
  
  
• NBCSports.com says the Panthers will win 34-31 on the strength of Pitt's superior kicker.
  
  
• Half of the staff at CollegeFootballNews.com predicts the Panthers will win while half predict the Beavers will win.