North Carolina State (8-4, ACC) vs. Arizona State (7-5, Pac-12) Dec. 29, 3 p.m. EST (CBS)
LOCATION: El Paso, Texas
TOP PLAYERS
North Carolina State: DE Bradley Chubb, ACC defensive player of the year and one of five finalists for the 2017 Hendricks Award, is second in the FBS with 25 tackles for loss, fourth among defensive linemen with 73 tackles, and eighth in sacks (10).
Arizona State: QB Manny Wilkins has thrown for 2,918 yards and 17 TDs with five interceptions.
NOTABLE
North Carolina State: Nyheim Hines rushed for 1,040 yards to become one of only nine running backs in school history to surpass that mark.
Arizona State: Head coach Todd Graham was fired in late November after six seasons, but Graham and his staff will remain with the program through their bowl appearance.
LAST TIME
North Carolina State defeated Arizona State 34-17 in 1974 under Lou Holtz. The series is tied 1-1.
BOWL HISTORY
North Carolina State: The Wolfpack are making their first Sun Bowl appearance and are 16-13-1 in bowl games. N.C. State has not faced a Pac-12 team since a 17-10 loss to Arizona in the 1989 Copper Bowl.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils are making their 30th bowl appearance and sixth in the Sun Bowl. They are a 14-14-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the Sun Bowl.
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