Predictions, Odds, and Picks for the Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston Matchup in the New Orleans Bowl 2024

• Georgia Southern meets Sam Houston in the 2024 New Orleans Bowl
• The under hit in 5 of the Georgia Southern Eagles last 7 games
• Find our Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston predictions and odds, below

Georgia Southern (8-4) goes to war with Sam Houston (9-3) for the 2024 New Orleans Bowl on Thursday, December 19. Each of these teams is coming off of impressive victories during rivalry week, with Georgia Southern defeating Appalachian State and Sam Houston overcoming Liberty.

All of the action gets underway from Caesars Superdome at 7 pm ET on ESPN 2. Until then, check out all the Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston odds and our best bets, below.

Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston Odds

Georgia Southern are 5.5-point favorites in the college football bowl odds. The total for Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston is set at 48.5 points.

Odds as of December 17 at FanDuel. Check out the best football betting apps for Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston.

Georgia Southern News & Notes

Georgia Southern were competitive against Boise State to begin the season, but were blown but Ole Miss, and Old Dominion as the year progressed. The loss to the Monarchs is particularly perplexing, as Old Dominion finished 5-7 and are a mediocre football team.

Watch out for senior running back Jalen White in the New Orleans Bowl. The Alabama native has scored a touchdown in four of his last five games. White took over last time out against Appalachian State, totaling 125-yards and three touchdowns.

Woke up thinking about this 3rd & 1 play call by Ryan Aplin, early on in a 9-minute Georgia Southern TD scoring drive.

JC French fakes a hard count, acts confused, moves in motion towards the sideline, claps again for a direct snap to Jalen White, he converts the first down. pic.twitter.com/5g8UYpwO0u

— Pat Timlin (@pat_timlin) October 20, 2024

Crucially, the Georgia Southern defense is one of the worst units in the country. The Golden Eagles are 111th in EPA per rush, 123rd in third-down success rate, and 98th in defensive EPA per play. Georgia Southern allow a whopping 454.3 yards per game, allow opponents to convert on 48.97% of third-downs, and a concerning 5.3 yards per rush.

Despite those numbers, linebacker Marques Watson-Trent was named the Sun Belt defensive player of the year, and will be key part of limiting the Bearkats rushing attack.

Be aware, the Georgia Southern Eagles are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games.

Sam Houston News & Notes

Sam Houston is led by junior quarterback Hunter Watson. A dual-threat, Watson excels in the Bearkats run-heavy attack. Watson threw for just 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns, but added 623 yards and seven scores on the ground.

Bearkats coach KC Keeler has accepted the Temple job, so Sam Houston will have offensive coordinator Brad Cornelson take charge on the sideline. Unfortunately, 22 players have followed Keeler out the door, however, most will play in the New Orleans Bowl before moving on.

Leading rushing Jay Duckey has opted out, leaving the opportunity to freshman DJ McKinney. McKinney ran for 472 yards on five yards per tote in limited action. But, he should have plenty of room to roam against a leaky Georgia Southern defense.

Underrated play from Saturday.

This punt by Jadon Cardell was beautiful and the spiral, along with Texas State PR back peddling, caused a fumble.

Then, DJ McKinney as a gunner with the hustle and toughness to recover the ball.

Led to a Hunter Watson TD to make it 29-21. pic.twitter.com/x6yZDvLsEu

— Sam Houston SportsTalk (@SamHoustonST) October 2, 2024

The Bearkats surrendered the fewest points in Conference USA, and sit 12th in yards per play (4.6) and fourth in yards per pass (5.7) surrendered in the nation.

Georgia Southern vs Sam Houston Prediction

The 2024 New Orleans Bowl is a battle between two once-dominant FCS teams, as Georgia Southern and Sam Houston combined to win seven FCS National Championships over the last forty years.

Ultimately, Sam Houston’s impressive defense and powerful rushing attack will lead to the Bearkats covering the spread on Thursday night. For my New Orleans Bowl prediciton, I’m all over Sam Houston.

Pick: Sam Houston +5.5 (-105)

The Georgia Southern Eagles and the Sam Houston Bearkats are set to face off in the New Orleans Bowl 2024, and fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an exciting matchup between these two talented teams. Both teams have had successful seasons leading up to this bowl game, with Georgia Southern finishing with a record of 9-3 and Sam Houston finishing with a record of 10-2.

In terms of predictions for this game, it’s shaping up to be a close contest between these two evenly matched teams. Georgia Southern has a strong rushing attack led by running back Jalen White, who has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season. On the other hand, Sam Houston boasts a potent passing game led by quarterback Eric Schmid, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

When it comes to odds, sportsbooks have the game as a virtual toss-up, with both teams being given similar odds of winning. This reflects the fact that both teams have had successful seasons and have shown that they are capable of competing at a high level.

As for picks, it’s always difficult to predict the outcome of a bowl game, as anything can happen on any given day. However, based on their strong rushing attack and solid defense, Georgia Southern may have a slight edge in this matchup. If they can control the clock and keep Sam Houston’s high-powered offense off the field, they may be able to come out on top in this game.

Ultimately, fans can expect an exciting and competitive matchup between these two talented teams in the New Orleans Bowl 2024. With both teams hungry for a win and looking to end their season on a high note, this game is sure to be one that fans won’t want to miss.