Gator Bowl Odds - South Carolina vs. Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are slight favorites against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Gator Bowl on Friday, December 30, 2022. The Irish have a major hole to fill in the Gator Bowl, as they will be without starting quarterback Drew Pyne who entered the transfer portal. The Irish will also be without Michael Mayer and Isaiah Foskey. The Gator Bowl doesn’t have the same prestige as the New Year’s Six Bowls, but it’s part of that next tier of quality bowl games and is the sixth-oldest bowl game in college football. Notre Dame is still getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers, as they are listed as a slight favorite in Gator Bowl odds against South Carolina. It won’t be easy for Notre Dame, as they are going up against a red-hot quarterback in Spencer Rattler. The Irish will be starting either Tyler Buchner or Steve Angeli at quarterback in the Gator Bowl.
2022 Gator Bowl at a Glance
Date: Friday, December 30, 2022
Time (ET) / TV: 3:30 PM / ESPN
Venue: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
College Football Betting Lines
South Carolina Gamecocks +2.5
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -2.5
Total: 51.5
Gator Bowl Preview
The focus for Notre Dame will be on the quarterback, as either Buchner or Angeli will be under center. Buchner started Notre Dame’s first two games before he hurt his shoulder. Buchner has had a quicker than expected recovery and is going to play in this game. Head coach Marcus Freeman said the quarterback situation continues to evolve.
"We haven’t defined what exactly the quarterback situation will be,” Freeman said to the media, "Both guys have gotten reps with the ones. Between Steve and Tyler, both have had reps with the ones.” Regardless of who plays quarterback, the Irish figure to run the ball a lot. “We have an identity and the ability to run the ball and the ability to create, as we say, easy completions. That won’t change with whoever’s at quarterback.” Freeman said to the media, That’s our identity .... We have to be able to run the ball. And we have to be able to take advantage of the things that defenses are giving us in the passing game. Those will be the things we ask Tyler to do.”
Notre Dame will also be missing Mayer and Foskey and they will be tough to replace. “As I've told our coaches and some of our players, you're not replacing Michael Mayer's production and Isaiah Foskey's production with one person,” said Freeman to the media, “Those guys are going to be future NFL Draft picks. There are some of the best that have done it here at Notre Dame. But you replace their production through different ways, through multiple people, through schematic changes that you make.”
Notre Dame averaged 30.7 points per game this season and averaged 382.7 yards per contest. They gave up just 21.8 points and allowed 326.8 yards per contest. Audric Estime led the team with 825 rushing yards, Drew Pyne threw for 2,021 yards, while Michael Mayer led the team with 809 receiving yards.
South Carolina averaged 31.7 points per game and averaged 380.9 yards per game, while they gave up 27.5 points and allowed 392.3 yards per game. Marshawn Lloyd led the team with 572 rushing yards, Spencer Rattler threw for 2,765 yards, while Antwane Wells Jr. led the team with 898 receiving yards.
Gator Bowl Prediction
The Irish may have had an edge over South Carolina if they had all of their players for this game, but they don’t and that fact alone should give the Gamecocks the advantage.
Gator Bowl Format
Although it has never been a top-tier bowl, the Gator Bowl has a long tradition of great teams and games. Currently, the Gator Bowl has conference tie-ins with the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten, and TaxSlayer has been the title sponsor since 2012.
The Gator Bowl was held at Gator Bowl Stadium every year from 1946 through 1993. After a year at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, it returned to the refurbished TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, in 1995.
Gator Bowl Past Results
SEASON |
WINNING TEAM |
LOSING TEAM |
SCORE |
2021 (Dec) |
Wake Forest |
Rutgers |
38-10 |
2021 (Jan) |
Kentucky |
North Carolina State |
23-21 |
2020 |
Tennessee |
Indiana |
23-22 |
2018 |
Texas A&M |
North Carolina State |
52-13 |
2017 |
Mississippi State |
Louisville |
31-27 |
2016 |
Georgia Tech |
Kentucky |
33-18 |
2016 |
Georgia |
Penn State |
24-17 |
2015 |
Tennessee |
Iowa |
45-28 |
2014 |
Nebraska |
Georgia |
24-19 |
2013 |
Northwestern |
Mississippi State |
34-20 |
2012 |
Florida |
Ohio State |
24-17 |
2011 |
Mississippi State |
Michigan |
52-14 |
2010 |
Florida State |
West Virginia |
33-21 |
2009 |
Nebraska |
Clemson |
26-21 |
2008 |
Texas Tech |
Virginia |
31-28 |
2007 |
West Virginia |
Georgia Tech |
38-35 |
2006 |
Virginia Tech |
Louisville |
35-24 |
2005 |
Florida State |
West Virginia |
30-18 |
2004 |
Maryland |
West Virginia |
41-7 |
2003 |
North Carolina State |
Notre Dame |
28-6 |
2002 |
Florida State |
Virginia Tech |
30-17 |
2001 |
Virginia Tech |
Clemson |
41-20 |
2000 |
Virginia Tech |
Clemson |
28-13 |
The Gator Bowl in 2021 was closer than the final score indicated, as Wake Forest led 20-10 at the half and 23-10 after three quarters. A couple of late scores by the Demon Deacons made it looks worse for Rutgers than it actually was.
Most All-Time Wins
WINS |
TEAM |
YEARS WON |
7 |
Florida |
1952, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1983, 1992, 2012 |
6 |
Florida State |
1964, 1982, 1985, 2001, 2004, 2009 |
5 |
North Carolina |
1963, 1979, 1981, 1996, 1997 |
4 |
Auburn |
1954, 1970, 1972, 1974 |
4 |
Clemson |
1948, 1978, 1986, 1989 |
4 |
Georgia Tech |
1956, 1965, 1998, 2016 |
4 |
Tennessee |
1957, 1966, 1994, 2014 |
3 |
Georgia |
1971, 1988, 2015 |
3 |
Maryland |
1949, 1975, 2003 |
3 |
Texas Tech |
1953, 1973, 2007 |
Appropriately enough, the Florida Gators have the most wins at the Gator Bowl with a total of seven. The Gators are tied with the Clemson Tigers for the most appearances in the Gator Bowl with nine. Georgia Tech has been to this bowl game eight times, but Florida State has been the most successful team on this stage with a 6-0-1 record for the Seminoles in Jacksonville.
2022-23 College Football Bowl Games
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