68 Ventures Bowl Odds: South Alabama is Huge Favorite
Point Spread Suggests Game Could Be Mismatch

The 68 Ventures Bowl kicks off this upcoming December, 23rd. We’ve got the latest updates on lines, injuries, departures and weather right here:
Money continues to come in on the home team in the 68 Ventures Bowl. South Alabama, playing on its home field, opened as 15.5-point favorites. The line quickly moved to 16.5, where it stayed for a while. But the spread has now hit the key number of Jaguars -17.
The moneyline has also moved from its opening number of South Alabama -820 to Jaguars -850.
The total in the game opened at 47 and has dropped. The over/under moved to 46.5 soon after opening and has now dipped to 45.
South Alabama quarterback Carter Bradley is still not 100% after a knee injury suffered in the team’s finale against Texas State. Jaguars coach Kane Wommack said Bradley will be a game time decision and he expected more than one quarterback to play in the game for South Alabama.
Desmond Trotter threw four touchdown passes in relief of Bradley against Texas State and has been a starter in the past. Redshirt true freshmen Gio Lopez appeared in four games this year. He’s viewed as the team’s quarterback of the future, with Bradley and Trotter both being seniors.
Temperatures are expected to be in the upper-50s at kickoff with little wind. There is less than a 5% chance of rain during the game.
Now, check out the rest of the 68 Ventures preview, originally published on December 8.
The South Alabama Jaguars won’t be traveling far for their bowl game against Eastern Michigan. The 68 Ventures Bowl will played in South Alabama’s home stadium, Hancock Whitney Stadium, in Mobile, Alabama. The Eagles won their last two games of the season to become college bowl eligible.
The 68 Ventures Bowl has undergone quite a few name changes over the years. It was previously the GMAC Bowl, GoDaddy Bowl, and Lending Tree Bowl, among others. The 68 Ventures Bowl odds have South Alabama favored by 15 points over Central Michigan with a total of 46.5.
The Jaguars opened as 16.5-point favorites with a total of 48.5, so bettors have moved both numbers. The Jaguars are -700 on the moneyline after opening -820. The price on the Eagles is +490.
68 Ventures Bowl Information
Jaguars vs Eagles 
Day/Time:
Records: South Alabama (6-6) vs Eastern Michigan
Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama
Streaming: ESPN
Can Jaguars Get Motivated For Home Game?
After going 10-3 last season, a 6-6 record has to be a bit disappointing for South Alabama. The team had higher expectations than a .500 finish. But the Jaguars had no consistency this season.
Remember, this is the team that crushed Oklahoma State 33-7 in their third game of the season. Then the Jaguars turned around and lost to Central Michigan 34-30 as 16.5-point favorites the next game.
The Jaguars lost outright twice this season as double-digit favorites. That helps explain why South Alabama was 3-5 against the spread as a favorite and just 4-8 against the NCAAF betting odds overall. South Alabama covered just one of its last five games and the 68 Ventures Bowl odds are asking a lot from the team. The Jaguars did go 6-6 in totals.
Offensively, South Alabama averaged 30.9 points per game against teams that allowed 29 points. So the Jaguars were good, but perhaps not as good as the NCAAF scores indicate. South Alabama rushed for 160.3 yards per game and threw for 264.9 yards.
The attack is pretty balanced, with the Jaguars running the ball 35.9 times per game and throwing 32.7 times. The Jaguars were held below 100 rushing yards four times during the season. South Alabama lost all four NCAAF games.
On defense, the Jaguars are decent, allowing just 21.9 points to teams averaging 26.5 points. South Alabama’s run defense is top-notch, allowing just 3.3 yards per carry to teams that averaged 4.3 yards a rush. But for some reason, teams ran at South Alabama often.
The Jags saw 35.3 rushes per game and allowed just 117.8 yards. Teams did fare better throwing against the South Alabama defense. The Jaguars allowed 7.8 yards per pass attempt to teams averaging 7.5 yards.
Departures & Injuries
Just one key college football player has entered the transfer portal for the Jaguars. But his loss is a big one, as leading receiver Caullin Lacy will miss the game. He had 91 receptions for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. The next leading receiver for the Jaguars had 49 receptions.
Eagles Likely Without Starting QB
Eastern Michigan quarterback Austin Smith has entered the transfer portal. But there’s no confirmation yet if he’ll miss this game. Without Smith, the Eagles would start Ike Udengwu, who threw just 28 passes on the season. Smith wasn’t great, but he has a lot more experience.
But whoever starts for the Eagles will do so, knowing they’re not a great offensive team. Eastern Michigan averaged 20.3 points per game against NCAAF teams that allowed 27.8 points. The Eagles averaged just 272.4 yards of total offense, so they did a good job scoring as many points as they did.
The running game averages just 3.5 yards per carry, while the passing game isn’t much better at 158.6 yards. Offense isn’t the strong suit of the team.
You’d expect Eastern Michigan’s defense to be pretty solid due to the problems of the offense. But that wasn’t the case. The Eagles are pretty average on defense, allowing 24 points per game to teams averaging 22.5 points. Eastern Michigan allows 177.8 yards on the ground per game and gives up 205.3 yards through the air. The Eagles did a pretty good job of allowing yards, but not points during the season.
Departures & Injuries
Obviously, Smith is the big name here, but the Eagles are expected to be without a few other key contributors for the game. Starting offensive lineman Zack Conti has entered the transfer portal, as have EDGE rusher Mikah Coleman and defensive lineman Alex Merritt, who both saw plenty of action during the season.
Jaguars the Better Team, But Can They Cover?
This is certainly not one of the best games on the NCAA football bowl schedule. It’s not even one that makes you want to watch. But from a betting standpoint, it’s an intriguing game. That makes it a bit more interesting. South Alabama is easily the better team, but Eastern Michigan picked up a few decent wins during the season.
The 68 Ventures Bowl odds dropping slightly and seeing the total drop a bit is a bit surprising. But bettors are expecting the Eagles’ defense to come up big, a job that got easier when Lacy entered the transfer portal. Coupled with the probable loss of Smith at quarterback for EMU, you can’t fault anybody liking the under here.
For NCAAF betting news, NCAAF standings, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.