NIU and Arkansas St. Meet in Camellia Bowl, Battle of 6-6 Teams
Camellia Bowl Betting Preview: Ark St. Opens as 1.5-Point Favorite

The Camellia Bowl kicks off this upcoming Saturday. We’ve got the latest updates on lines, injuries, departures and weather right here:
The spread opened with Arkansas State as a 1.5-point favorite, but it briefly flipped to Northern Illinois at -1 before turning back toward the Red Wolves. They’d climbed up to -3 as of Thursday afternoon, less than 48 hours before kickoff. The Red Wolves had also moved to -155 on moneyline, with Northern Illinois priced +135.
Northern Illinois has lost some key transfers, including center Pete Nygra (Louisville), and is also dealing with numerous injuries. The Huskies have been hit particularly at receiver, losing Kacper Rutkiewicz for the season. Trayvon Rudolph, the Huskies’ leading receiver and returner, briefly considered leaving before withdrawing his name from the NCAA transfer portal.
While both teams are 6-6, all that uncertainty surrounding the Huskies seems to be giving betters some pause.
Additionally, the Over/Under has risen from 51.5 to 54.5, making it one of the higher totals on the slate.
Now, check out the rest of the Camellia Bowl preview, originally published on December 4:
No stranger to the postseason, Northern Illinois is making its 15th bowl trip and the 12th since 2008. But this is the Huskies’ first appearance in the Camellia Bowl, where they’ll meet Arkansas State. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 23 in Montgomery, Ala.
Arkansas State opened as 1.5-point favorites (-110) and -118 on the moneyline. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois is +1.5 (-110) on the college football betting line and -102 to win outright. The total sits at 53.5 (-110 Over, -110 Under), up from the 51.5 opening line.
Featuring teams from the Sun Belt Conference and Mid-American Conference, the Camellia Bowl was first played in 2014. The Red Wolves have appeared in it twice, most recently in 2019 when they beat FIU 34-26.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down the Camellia Bowl betting preview.
Red Wolves vs Huskies 
Day/Time: Records: Arkansas State (6-6) at Northern Illinois (6-6)
Location: Cramton Bowl; Montgomery, Ala.
Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
At Long Last, Red Wolves Bowling Again
The season began rather ominously for Arkansas State, with a pair of blowout losses to Oklahoma and Memphis. Badly overmatched, the Red Wolves were outscored by a combined total of 110-3.
But to their credit, the Red Wolves rebounded. They bounced back with victories each of the next three weeks and managed to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019. At 6-6 (4-4 Sun Belt Conference), they surpassed their win total from the last two seasons combined (five).
Arkansas State was a bit unpredictable for bettors, going 7-5 against the spread. But recent trends are more encouraging. The Red Wolves are 4-1 ATS over their last five NCAAF games, including 4-0 as an underdog. In fact, last week’s 35-21 loss to Marshall marked the first time they didn’t cover since Oct. 21. The Red Wolves were also 6-6 against the Over/Under.
While the Red Wolves have been middle-of-the-pack offensively for most of the season, ranking 72nd in yards per game (375.5), they’ve picked up the pace over the last month. The Red Wolves scored a Sun Belt record of 77 points against Texas State on Nov. 18, securing bowl eligibility in the process. They ran for seven touchdowns and also scored three times defensively.
Departures & Injuries
Head coach Butch Jones deserves credit for keeping this team afloat after such a miserable start. This is his seventh college bowl appearance but the first in three seasons at Arkansas State. He previously made trips with Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee.
After handing Colorado transfer J.T. Shrout the quarterback job to open the season, Jones pivoted to freshman Jaylen Raynor following an 0-2 start. Raynor threw for 2,293 yards and 15 touchdowns, winning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. That includes a six-touchdown performance in a 52-28 rout of UMass.
Shrout, meanwhile, is back in the NCAA transfer portal.
Northern Illinois Surging at Right Time
The Northern Illinois Huskies are headed to their first bowl game since 2021. They took a somewhat circuitous route to get there, overcoming a 1-4 start. The Huskies (6-6, 5-3 Mid-American Conference) have won five of their last seven games, including back-to-back victories over MAC foes Western Michigan and Kent State.
Like Arkansas State, Northern Illinois didn’t do any favors for a majority of bettors. The Huskies went just 5-7 ATS, including 1-4 over the last five games. Interestingly, they went 3-2 straight up during that same stretch. Northern Illinois was also 6-6 against the Over/Under. It went Under the projected total in four of the last six games, which is essential to keep in mind when analyzing the Camellia Bowl betting preview.
Northern Illinois’ resurgence in the college football standings has been largely fueled by its defense. The Huskies rank sixth in the country in pass defense (163.9 yards allowed per game) and are tied for 28th in scoring (21.1 PPG allowed).
While Northern Illinois did most of its damage in conference play, it also scored a notable non-conference victory over Boston College. It beat the Eagles 27-24 in overtime in Week 1, its first victory over a Power Five opponent since the 2021 opener against Georgia Tech.
Departures & Injuries
The Huskies lost their only previous bowl appearance under head coach Thomas Hammock, falling 47-41 to Coastal Carolina in the 2021 Cure Bowl. Hammock is just 23-33 in five NCAA football seasons at Northern Illinois, so he certainly could use a strong finish for a change.
Hammock would be wise to continue riding First Team All-MAC running back Antario Brown. Brown has rushed for 1,164 yards and 10 touchdowns on 162 carries (6.2 yards per carry), placing him among the nation’s most productive rushers. The junior has plenty to prove, especially in front of an ESPN audience.
Battle of 6-6 Teams Provides Plenty of Possibilities
As you might expect of a matchup between 6-6 NCAAF teams, the odds are fairly equal. Arkansas State is favored, but this might as well be a pick ’em. Don’t be surprised to see the lines move over the next few weeks.
The Red Wolves may have a slight edge in experience, thanks to Jones. But even that only goes so far this time of the year. Bowl games tend to be unpredictable, and this one’s seemingly no different. The Camellia Bowl betting preview say as much.
For college bowl predictions, betting odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.