Two Group of Five conference champions will take the field in the Cure Bowl – without their head coaches from this season.
After being one of the better teams in the conference the past few seasons, Ohio won the MAC Championship this year. The Bobcats were 9-3 during the regular season, going 7-1 in league play, with their losses being against Syracuse, Kentucky, and Miami (Ohio). The Bobcats bounced back from that Miami loss with a 38-3 victory over the RedHawks in the league title game.
Jacksonville State did not appear like it would end up winning the Conference USA Championship after the first few weeks of the regular season. The Gamecocks began the year 0-3 overall after facing Coastal Carolina, Louisville, and Eastern Michigan. But they responded by winning their next eight games.
Jax State had a 7-1 mark in league play with a defeat against Western Kentucky during the regular season finale when the program had already locked up a spot in the conference championship. The Gamecocks then bounced back again with a 52-12 victory over WKU in the CUSA title contest for a conference championship in just their second season in the FBS.
But now former Ohio head coach Tim Albin has departed to become the head coach at Charlotte, while former Jax State head coach Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia.
Only time will tell how that will end up affecting these teams’ performances in the Cure Bowl.
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Ohio vs. Jacksonville State Betting Odds
Ohio is a -4.5 college football betting odds favorite against Jacksonville State, with the Over/Under being 56.5.
The moneyline for Ohio is -200, while it’s +165 for Jacksonville State.
Ohio vs. Jacksonville State On TV
The matchup between Ohio and Jacksonville State will be televised on ESPN.
The game will kick off at noon ET on Friday, Dec. 20. The contest is taking place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Ohio vs. Jacksonville State Prediction
I predict Ohio will win and cover the spread at -4.5. I also project the game will go Under 56.5 total points.
I’m expecting Ohio’s defense will prove to be slightly better in this matchup. Going into bowl season, the Bobcats ranked eighth in the FBS in total defense (295.2 yards per game allowed) and 11th in scoring defense (17.46 points per game allowed).
Yes, Jacksonville State had one of the top offenses in the country this year. The Gamecocks were in the top 20 for scoring offense (36.7 points per game) and total offense (444.4 yards per game).
But I usually lean toward the team with a stronger defense in situations like this. I think the Bobcats will be the more disciplined squad and will win by a touchdown in a low-scoring contest.
