Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston Prediction & Odds Tonight: New Orleans Bowl Picks
Familiar Group of Five foes Georgia Southern and Sam Houston square off tonight in the New Orleans Bowl. Kickoff from the Caesars Superdome is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Our Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston predictions expect the Eagles to have a leg-up on their opponents after the Bearkats lost head coach K.C. Keeler to Temple and multiple starters to the transfer portal.
The best college football betting sites list Georgia Southern as a 3.5-point favorite due to minimal turnover within the Eagles' ranks.
Our college football bowl game opt-out tracker has you covered with the latest opt-out news and the impact on the college bowl game odds.
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston prediction & best pick: New Orleans Bowl
College football picks based on the odds from our best college football betting sites. Odds subject to change.
- Against the spread pick: Georgia Southern -4.5 (-114 via FanDuel) vs. Sam Houston ⭐⭐⭐
- My best pick: Jalen White Over 67.5 rushing yards (-114 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Georiga Southern vs. Sam Houston ATS prediction
Georgia Southern to cover the spread: -4.5 ⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: -114 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 53.27%
New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place first bet of $5+ and win $150 in Bonus Bets (within 72 hours).
It's not hyperbolic to say Keeler is the reason Sam Houston is in the FBS. He took over the program in 2014 when Willie Fritz left for Georgia Southern - there are a lot of connections between these two programs - and proceeded to go 85-27 with an FCS championship in the nine seasons before the program moved up.
Keeler then bounced back from going 3-9 in the Bearcats' first FBS season to go 9-3 this year. But now he's gone north to Temple, and Sam Houston has eight starters and six other key players in the portal. That includes the one-two punch of running backs Jay Ducker and DJ McKinney, the engines for this offense.
Whether they play is up in the air, but regardless, without Keeler, things could be dicey for the Bearcats. Offensive coordinator Brad Cornelson is serving as interim head coach, yet, he's expected to remain in the box calling plays for an offense that was just 116th in SP+.
Fly Eagles fly
It could be even tougher for this defense without Keeler. It's the biggest reason Sam Houston found success this season, but six starters from Keeler's side of the ball are in the portal.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are 60th in EPA per dropback behind the efficient play of QB JC French and the talented pass-catching trio of Derwin Burgess Jr., Dalen Cobb, and Josh Dallas. Plus, running back Jalen White is the team's top NFL prospect.
Clay Helton's squad is pretty much fully intact and that's going to be the difference against a Sam Houston program that just hired fired Wisconsin OC Phil Longo as head coach. If Georgia Southern can take advantage and cover, a $10 bet pays an $8.77 profit.
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston best pick
Our NEW college football player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your area!
Jalen White Over 67.5 rushing yards ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: -114 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 53.27%
Given Georgia Southern's history running the triple option, nobody loves an explosive running back as much as the good folks in Statesboro, Ga. While Helton has taken the offense in a more modern direction, he's still leaned on his running game to be the difference.
That's why White is fourth in school history in rushing yards at the FBS level (2,926) and is poised to climb the rankings against Sam Houston. After a slow start to the season, the senior has run for Over 67.5 rushing yards in four of his last eight games.
When he's fed, he's produced this season - he's averaging 111 rushing yards when given 14-plus carries - and I expect Helton to ride him against a Bearcats D that could be without six key front seven players. If White hits the Over, a $10 bet pays an $8.77 profit.
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston odds
See all of this week's college football odds and NCAAF scores.
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston live odds
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston opening odds:
- Georgia Southern: -5.5 (-110)
- Sam Houston: +5.5 (-110)
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston odds movement
Georgia Southern opened as a 5.5-point favorite at standard juice with most of the best sportsbooks. Sam Houston was always in a hole with the departures of Keeler and over half a dozen starters. As such, it was surprising to see the line swing back the Bearkats' way earlier in the week.
As kickoff inched closer, the public began to back the Eagles. 81% of moneyline bets and 60% of spread tickets at BetMGM have come in on Georgia Southern in this contest. The line has settled anywhere between -3.5 to -4.5 in favor of the Eagles in the hours leading up to the New Orleans Bowl.
Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston injuries
New Orleans Bowl game info
- When: Thursday, Dec. 19
- Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
- How to watch: ESPN2
- Weather: Indoors
College football betting odds pages
Here are our best college football betting sites:
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission
Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)
Related Articles
