Grab your snacks and settle in; Thursday night just got a whole lot better! While the Sugar Bowl wraps up the playoff quarterfinals, it’s not the only bowl action on tap. Right after that showdown, the Gator Bowl takes center stage as the Ole Miss Rebels and Duke Blue Devils square off at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. With both teams coming off impressive 9-3 seasons, this clash promises to be as fiery as the Florida sunset.

The Blue Devils enter the game after a strong year under head coach Manny Diaz, even as they adjust to life without quarterback Maalik Murphy, who’s already packed his bags for Oregon State. Meanwhile, Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss squad will look to ride their high-powered offense to a bowl victory. Kiffin’s Rebels narrowly missed the College Football Playoff this year, but they still look steady rocking that SEC swagger. In fact, with Murphy leaving the Dukes and Jaxson Dart heading to the NFL after his time at Ole Miss, both teams are officially saying goodbye to their respective Iron Men. But let’s talk about the voices guiding us through these emotions and chaos.

With Kickoff set at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, they will be rolling out a dynamic duo to keep us entertained: Dave Pasch on play-by-play duties and Dusty Dvoracek adding color commentary. The duo fresh off after announcing the Alamo Bowl on New Year’s Eve are back for the Gator Bowl. Their chemistry is the secret sauce. After four seasons of calling games together, Pasch and Dvoracek have developed a rhythm that’s as smooth as an Ole Miss passing play.

Dave Pasch, a cornerstone of ESPN’s play-by-play roster for over two decades, will take the reins in the booth. With a velvety voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, Pasch has a knack for weaving stories into the action, making even the most routine plays feel like they carry narrative weight.

Paired with him is Dusty Dvoracek, whose fiery energy and analytical brilliance have made him one of the most sought-after color commentators in the business. A former Oklahoma Sooners captain and NFL draftee, Dvoracek, brings a player’s perspective that’s equal parts insightful and infectious.

The game itself is dripping with storylines. For Duke, it’s a bittersweet curtain call for Maalik Murphy, who set a Duke single-season record with 26 touchdown passes. But the quarterback will transfer away from the school for next season. As will tailback Star Thomas, who became a literal star for Diaz and the Blue Devils after rushing for over 800 yards and 7 touchdowns this year.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, enters with far fewer disruptions, but the emotional weight of Jaxson Dart’s departure looms large. The quarterback, who’s been the Rebels’ offensive heartbeat, is expected to move on to the NFL after this game.

With the Gator Bowl pushed back a day due to the tragic events in New Orleans, this game carries an extra layer of meaning. The tragedy of the Bourbon Street attack has cast a shadow over the festivities. And for many, this game represents a way to move forward.

Gator Bowl prediction: Computer spills the beans

As the Duke Blue Devils and Ole Miss Rebels gear up for the Gator Bowl, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Especially for a Duke squad that’s struggled to establish its ground game. Ranked a lowly 127th out of 134 FBS teams in rushing, the Blue Devils average just 97 yards per game. Simply put, throwing the ball will be absolutely crucial if Duke wants to have a shot at pulling off an upset.

Before we lock in that parlay, let’s do a deep dive into the SP+ model to get a better read on these teams. Spoiler alert: It’s looking like an uphill battle for Duke. Ole Miss enters as the heavy favorite, and it’s not just the SP+ that’s showing love for the Rebels.

The College Football Power Index (FPI), a simulation model that crunches data and runs matchups 20,000 times, is also leaning heavily toward Ole Miss. According to the FPI, Ole Miss wins a whopping 83.5% of those simulations. This leaves Duke with just a 16.5% chance to emerge victorious.

On average, the Rebels are projected to be 14 points better. For Duke to flip the script, they’ll need precision passing, some magic on defense, and maybe a little luck.