Bowl Game Previews: December 25-26
This year’s bowl season has presented a lot of interesting matchups. After a few days of enjoying the holidays, it’s a treat to be able to sit down and watch some of our favorite college football prospects play in their final game of the year.
One thing to note before we dig into the bowl coverage for this slate: The Gasparilla Bowl between South Carolina and UAB was canceled. South Carolina could not play in the game because they were experiencing Covid-19 issues.
Even with one game down, we still have a lot of football to look forward to. There are four after-Christmas games that could alter the values for a few devy prospects.
CAMELLIA BOWL
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Buffalo Bulls
ESPN, Dec. 25 at 2:30 p.m. EST
This game currently has a 54 over/under and Vegas has Buffalo favored to win by 4.5 points. Over a six-game sample, Buffalo is leading the nation with 309.2 rushing yards per game. They finished the season with a 5-1 record and were undefeated until they ran into Ball State in the MAC championship game.
Marshall’s season had a similar ending with them losing to UAB 22-13 in the Conference USA championship game. This is going to be an interesting matchup considering the Thundering Herd is allowing just 88 yards per game on the ground. They are very talented on the defensive side of the ball which is why they have only allowed just 12 points per game this season.
The main player to watch in this game is Buffalo’s junior running back Jaret Patterson. He has 1,072 yards and 19 touchdowns in six games. His best game of the season came against Kent State where he rushed for 409 yards and eight touchdowns. With three-straight 1,000-yards seasons, Patterson is ready to make the leap to the NFL level.
We could see junior running back Kevin Marks get some usage in this game. He has 603 rushing yards on the season along with five games with over 90 yards or more. Patterson is currently dealing with an injury; reports are stating he will be good to go. If the team decides to reduce his workload then Marks could see more touches out of the backfield.
The Thundering Herd are led by freshman quarterback Grant Wells, a former three-star recruit who has passed for 1,997 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has struggled in his last two games but has made some promising plays throughout the season.
Junior running back Brenden Knox rushed for 887 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. At 6-foot-0 and 223 pounds, he has the requisite size to contribute to an NFL team. He will be a key factor to the Thundering Herd’s offense. We should not look for him to be a big riser in devy but he could be a name we hear about on a team’s practice squad at the next level.
CURE BOWL
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. Liberty Flames
ESPN, Dec. 26 at 12:00 p.m. EST
Vegas opened this game with Coastal Carolina as 7.5-point favorites to win this game. This game should provide a lot of fireworks as the projected point total for this game is sitting at 59.5 points. Coastal Carolina will be entering this game as the 12th-ranked team in the nation. They are 11-0 with their only power-five victory coming against the Kansas Jayhawks.
The Flames were one point away from being undefeated. They are 2-1 against power-five programs. Their 9-1 record has allowed them to be ranked 23rd in the nation. Liberty has a solid rushing attack as they are ninth in the country with 252.1 yards per game.
Freshman quarterback Grayson McCall is the team’s signal-caller. He has tossed for 23 touchdowns and just two interceptions on the season. If he can keep the chains moving by being able to convert some big-time throws, then Coastal Carolina could come away with an easy win this weekend. He’s a young quarterback who has a lot of room for growth. If he continues to develop, then he could be a sought-after prospect when it comes time to enter the NFL Draft.
CJ Marable leads the team with 844 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior running back has 100 yards rushing in his last three games. His best performance came against BYU where he rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
Too easy for Grayson McCall
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 12, 2020
Junior wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh has caught 52 passes for 820 yards and ten touchdowns. He is a highly efficient pass-catcher who excels at making plays after the catch. Heigligh has a good rapport with McCall and the two could be fun to watch if the game script gets out of hand.
The Flames are led by junior dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis. He has passed for 2,040 yards and 20 touchdowns while also rushing for 807 yards and another ten touchdowns. The offense runs through him and the team’s success will be dictated by how well he plays.
This is a team that loves to run the football. Senior running back, Joshua Mack has rushed for 692 yards and four touchdowns. He will be a key contributor to the team’s offensive attack. Senior running back Peyton Picket will also get some carries out of the backfield. He is a 5-foot-8 and 220-pound bowling ball who is tough to bring down in the open field. He leads all running backs with six rushing touchdowns.
LENDINGTREE BOWL
Western Kentucky Hilltopper vs. Georgia State Panthers
ESPN, Dec. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Georgia State opens the week as a 3.5-point favorite for this game. Vegas has this contest set with a 50.5 over/under. This is expected to be a close game that could come down to the wire. Western Kentucky finished their regular season with a 5-6 record while placing third in the Conference USA East Division. They are rolling into this bowl game with three straight wins.
The Panthers placed third in the Sun Belt East Division with a 5-4 overall record. They have won three of their last four games and are averaging 417.7 total yards per game. The Panthers are looking to get their second bowl victory over the Hilltoppers. The two teams clashed in the 2017 AutoNation Cure Bowl.
Georgia State’s redshirt freshman quarterback Cornelious Brown ranks second in the Sun Belt with 227.3 passing yards per game. He has 21 total touchdowns on the season. He will be throwing the ball to sophomore wide receiver Sam Pickney who reeled in 44 balls for 753 yards and six touchdowns while owning a 36.80 percent market share of the team’s passing offense.
The team’s junior running back, Dustin Coates leads the team with 652 yards and six touchdowns. He ranks second in the Sun Belt with 81.5 yards per game. Another player to look out for is tight end Roger Carter who has received All-Sun Belt honors.
There isn’t much firepower coming from Western Kentucky’s offense. Redshirt senior running back, Gaej Walker led the team in rushing this year with 614 yards and two touchdowns. He owns a 20.97 market share of the team’s total offensive production.
SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
UL-Lafayette vs. UTSA Roadrunners
ABC, Dec. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Vegas has this game projected to be a high-scoring affair with a 56.5 over/under. The Ragin’ Cajuns are heavily favored to win by 13.5 points. They are heading into this game with a 9-1 with a first play finish in the Sun Belt West Division. They are currently on a six-game winning streak. Their biggest win of the season was in a 31-14 upset over Iowa State.
The Roadrunners are entering this game-winning four of their last five games. They have a 7-4 record and placed second in the Conference USA Division. The team is 0-1 all-time in bowl games. Their last bowl performance was in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl.
The Ragin' Cajuns air it out for a 78-yard TD ‼️ pic.twitter.com/x2hAKvYdba
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 12, 2020
Louisiana is led by senior quarterback Levi Lewis who passed for 2,128 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is considered a late-round prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s a playmaker and can make things happen when he takes off to scramble in the open field. Lewis also has the arm to thread the needle downfield.
The team is led by two very good running back prospects. Senior running back Elijah Mitchell leads the team with 751 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He shares the backfield with Trey Ragas who is a big 230-pound back who can pick up the tough yards between the tackles.
Sophomore running back Sincere McCormick has led UTSA with 1,345 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns while also catching 18 passes for 122 yards. With six 100-yard rushing performances, he is considered an under-the-radar devy asset going into the off-season.
Zakhair Franklin lead the team with 579 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The sophomore wide receiver currently owns a 26.43 percent share of the team’s passing offense. He is paired with 6-foot-3 sophomore wide receiver, Joshua Cephus who led the team with 55 receptions. He is an explosive playmaker who can become a mismatch nightmare for the opposition.
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