Check out our free Georgia Southern Eagles vs Sam Houston Bearkats pick and preview for this CFB R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl game in New Orleans. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl CFB matchup.
Georgia Southern is favored at -5.5 points as they head into their matchup with the Sam Houston Bearkats in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The game is set for 7:00 ET on Thursday, December 19th, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, with ESPN2 handling the broadcast. The over/under line is currently at 46.5 points. The Eagles are 8-4 this season, while the Bearkats are 9-3. The money line odds are -207 for Georgia Southern and +168 for Sam Houston.
Eagles vs. Bearkats Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: CFB
- Teams: Georgia Southern Eagles at Sam Houston Bearkats
- Where: New Orleans at Caesars Superdome
- Date: Thursday, December 19th
- Betting Odds GAS -5.5, GAS -207 | SMHO +168 O/U 46.5
Eagles Preview:
Georgia Southern enters Week 1 against Sam Houston with an 8-4 record, going 4-2 on the road and 3-2 at home. They’ve been favored in four games this season, splitting those contests 2-2. As underdogs, they’ve gone 4-2, with a +0.8 average scoring margin.
Against the spread, the Eagles are 7-3-1, covering in five of six games as underdogs. They are 5-1 ATS when not favored and 1-2-1 as favorites. On the road, they’ve gone 4-2 ATS, and at home, they are 3-1-1.
The over/under line for this week is 46.5 points. Georgia Southern’s games have averaged 55.5 points, with an average line of 58.3. Their over/under record stands at 4-7, with seven games going under 46.5 points.
Eagles Offense Breakdown
Georgia Southern’s offense is ranked 62nd in our offensive power rankings heading into this week. They are 48th in points scored, averaging 28.2 per game. JC French has thrown for 2,619 yards and has a passer rating of 92. He has 16 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions this season.
Georgia Southern ranks 23rd in passing completions and 31st in attempts. They are 20th in both completion percentage (65.6%) and third-down conversion rate (45.7%). On the ground, they rank 99th, averaging 124.5 rushing yards per game. Jalen White leads the team with 655 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
Eagles Team Defense
Georgia Southern's defense has allowed an average of 27.3 points per game this season, including 20 points in their recent win over Appalachian State. They forced two interceptions but gave up 488 total yards, with 290 yards coming through the air.
Opponents have averaged 262.4 passing yards per game against Georgia Southern, completing 62.9% of their throws. The Eagles rank 134th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 183.2 rushing yards per game on 34 attempts per contest.
Bearkats Preview:
Georgia Southern enters Week 1 against Sam Houston with an 8-4 record, going 4-2 on the road and 3-2 at home. They’ve been favored in four games this season, splitting those contests 2-2. As underdogs, they’ve gone 4-2, with a +0.8 average scoring margin.
Against the spread, the Eagles are 7-3-1, covering in five of six games as underdogs. They are 5-1 ATS when not favored and 1-2-1 as favorites. On the road, they’ve gone 4-2 ATS, and at home, they are 3-1-1.
The over/under line for this week is 46.5 points. Georgia Southern’s games have averaged 55.5 points, with an average line of 58.3. Their over/under record stands at 4-7, with seven games going under 46.5 points.
Bearkats Offense Breakdown
Sam Houston’s offense is heavily reliant on their run game, ranking 10th in rushing attempts and averaging 192.4 yards per game, placing them 31st nationally. Jay Ducker leads the team with 719 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4 yards per carry. Overall, Sam Houston is 75th in scoring, with 23.2 points per game, and they are ranked 112th in our offensive power rankings heading into this week.
Quarterback Hunter Watson has thrown for 1,598 yards, with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 79. Sam Houston is 119th in passing yards per game. Simeon Evans leads the receiving corps with 474 yards and five touchdowns on 43 catches.
Bearkats Team Defense
Sam Houston's defense has been solid this season, ranking 16th nationally by allowing just 20 points per game. In their recent win over Liberty, they gave up 18 points and forced two interceptions. The Bearkats held Liberty to 83 passing yards, while allowing 179 rushing yards on 36 attempts.
Opposing quarterbacks have managed a passer rating of just 73.7 against Sam Houston, averaging 174.1 passing yards per game, which ranks 19th in the nation. The Bearkats have also allowed 142.3 rushing yards per game on an average of 35.8 attempts.
Eagles vs Bearkats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- In their last five road games, Georgia Southern has averaged 26 points per game while allowing 31 . The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
- Across the Sam Houston Bearkats last ten home games, the team averaged 22 points per game while allowing 22. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 5-5 straight-up.
- Through their last three games as the underdog, the Sam Houston Bearkats have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.
- Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Georgia Southern Eagles have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
Georgia Southern Eagles vs Sam Houston Bearkats Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: Sam Houston Bearkats +5.5 Be sure to check out our other CFB Football betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.
