The 68 Ventures Bowl will be played at South Alabama’s home venue, Hancock Whitney Stadium. It will take place on Saturday, December 23. The Jaguars will face 6-6 Eastern Michigan out of the Mid-American Conference. South Alabama played in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl a season ago. Now, they accepted an invitation to this year’s 68 Ventures Bowl to mark the fourth bowl game appearance in South Alabama history. Also, this is the first time in program College Football Betting history the Jags will make bowl game appearances in consecutive seasons.
68 Ventures Bowl South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Saturday, December 23, 2023, 7 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL. |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | -15½ -110 | 47½ -110 | -720 |  |
| Eastern Michigan | +15½ -110 | 47½ -110 | +510 | |
| ||||
68 Ventures Bowl Format
Founded in 1999, the former LendingTree Bowl is held at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. This will be the second time the 68 Ventures Bowl is held at this venue. Previously, Ladd Peebles Stadium was home to the LendingTree Bowl. Hancock Whitney Stadium is home to the South Alabama Jaguars. Concurrently, the 68 Ventures Bowl has tie-ins with the Sun Belt and the MAC. The payout for this bowl game is $1.5 million.
68 Ventures Bowl Recent Results
LendingTree Bowl action has entertained fans with high-scoring offensive offshore bookmaker shootouts in recent years. Six of the last eight LendingTree Bowl matchups saw the winning team score 34 or more points. Also, seven different schools have won the previous eight Lending Tree Bowls. In 2022, Southern Miss became the winningest team in 68 Ventures Bowl history. To illuminate, the Eagles beat the Rice Owls 38-24. MVP RB Frank Gore Jr ran for 329 yards and two TDs.
68 Ventures Bowl Past Winners
Namely, Arkansas State, Miami-OH, Toledo, Marshall, Southern Miss, and Tulsa have two wins each at the LendingTree Bowl.
68 Ventures Bowl Matchup
Last game, the South Alabama Jaguars lost 52-44 against the Texas State Bobcats as 6-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 58. South Alabama has a record of 6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread, and 6-6 over/under the total. South Alabama ranks 38th for total offense, 36th for passing, 62nd for rushing, and 46th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 28th overall, 40th against the pass, 28th against the rush, and 36th for points allowed. Also, South Alabama ranks 104th for fewest turnovers lost and 45th for takeaways.
Last game, the Eastern Michigan Eagles won 24-11 against the Buffalo Bulls as 5-point road dogs. The game went under the College Football Betting total of 38. Eastern Michigan has a record of 6-6 straight up, 6-5-1 against the spread, and 6-6 over/under the total. Eastern Michigan ranks 131st for total offense, 124th for passing, 111th for rushing, and 114th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 71st overall, 34th against the pass, 112th against the rush, and 53rd for points allowed. Also, Eastern Michigan ranks 31st for fewest turnovers lost and 117th for takeaways.
68 Ventures Bowl Prediction
Previously, South Alabama played in both the 2014 Camellia Bowl and 2016 Arizona Bowl. The Jags are still seeking the first bowl championship in school history. The Eagles entered their final two games of the 2023 season with a 4-6 record. Consider that Eastern Michigan needed to win both remaining games to clinch bowl eligibility. EMU did just that, earning a double-overtime win against Akron and a 24-11 victory at Buffalo in the season finale. In this situation, South Alabama has a literal home-field advantage and superior metrics.