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2012 Holiday Bowl picks and predictions: Offensive shootout expected between Bruins, Bears

Many experts throughout the internet believe the 2012 Holiday Bowl will showcase a lot of offense -- and that UCLA will prevail over Baylor.

By JP Starkey
Thearon W. Henderson

The 2012 Holiday Bowl is set to kick off on Dec. 27 -- and it features two high-powered offenses, as the UCLA Bruins will face off against the Baylor Bears.

Baylor had the fifth-best offensive attack among all FBS schools, averaging an astounding 44.1 points per game this season. Despite the offensive success, the Bears went just 7-5 in the regular season, largely because of their defense, as Baylor's defense allowed 38.2 points per game.

Similarly, UCLA's offense carried the Bruins in 2012. UCLA scored an average of 35.1 points per game, while surrendering 25.9 points per game on defense.

Consequently, it's no surprise that many analysts are predicting a shootout in the 2012 Holiday Bowl. ESPN's Will Harris believes that UCLA will prevail 44-41, partially because of the game's proximity to the school. Yahoo!'s Daniel Allen also predicts a shootout -- but has Baylor winning, 48-45. Marc Doche of NBC Sports also predicts an offensive onslaught, but like Harris, has UCLA winning, 47-38.

Kickoff between the Bruins and Bears is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 27, at 6:45 p.m. PT. Televised coverage can be found on ESPN.