Jackson State (11-2, 8-0 SWAC) takes on South Carolina State (9-2, 5-0 MEAC) in the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This game kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 12 p.m. ET and can be seen live on ABC.
This will be a rematch of the 2021 Celebration Bowl between two proud HBCU programs that have vastly exceeded expectations this season. We're in for a treat on Saturday to get bowl season started.
Jackson State opened this contest as a 3.5-point favorite, but the money has been pouring in on the Bulldogs, who currently see themselves as 2.5-point favorites as of Friday morning. The total sits at 53.5.
Let's dive into my Jackson State vs. South Carolina State predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Dec. 14.
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Prediction
- Jackson State vs South Carolina State Pick: South Carolina State ML -135
My South Carolina State vs. Jackson State best bet is on the Bulldogs to win outright. Find the best odds on our our live NCAAF odds page.
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Odds
| Jackson State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 53.5 -110 / -110 | +115 |
| South Carolina State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 53.5 -110 / -110 | -135 |
- Jackson State vs South Carolina State Spread: Jackson State +2.5 (-105) · South Carolina State -2.5 (-115)
- Jackson State vs South Carolina State Over/Under: 53.5
- Jackson State vs South Carolina State Moneyline: Jackson State +115 · South Carolina State -135
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Preview
Jackson State Tigers Betting Preview
Jackson State comes in champions of the SWAC with a perfect 8-0 record (although it did suffer a loss against fellow SWAC participant Grambling State in a nonconference bout) after dispatching Southern University in the SWAC Championship game last week.
JSU used suffocating second-half defense to limit the Jaguars to just three points in eight second-half possessions while scoring four touchdowns to bust open a game that was tied at 10-10 at half.
Backup quarterback Zy McDonald played really well in relief of injured Jacobian Morgan and threw for 75 yards and a touchdown while adding 95 yards on the ground with a rushing score.
As a team, the Tigers ran for 275 yards last week, and as has been the case all season, gashed Southern for several explosive plays on the ground.
This JSU rushing attack has bullied its way through some really bad SWAC defenses this year but will undoubtedly face a stiffer test this week against a really underrated South Carolina State stop unit.
South Carolina State Bulldogs Betting Preview
South Carolina State was undefeated in the truncated MEAC, which has just six remaining teams after several have been poached for other conferences in recent years.
The Bulldogs ran through everyone they played in the MEAC while racking up 486 yards and 48 points per game on average in league play.
Quarterback Eric Phoenix is a game-changing talent at this level and has thrown for 2,469 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.
SC State has the best defense that Jackson State will have lined up against this season, as the Bulldogs have held their last four opponents under 300 offensive yards.
In those four games, SC State has surrendered an average of 101 yards on the ground and 3.1 yards per carry.
This will be a great test this week, as the Jackson State rushing attack has run for 558 yards over the last two weeks, so we get to see strength on strength here.
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Pick & Prediction
I really like South Carolina State here, and I played it on the moneyline.
This South Carolina State offense is the best unit that Jackson State will see all season at the HBCU level, and while the JSU defensive numbers look good, the competition must be considered.
In their recent stretch of dominance, the Tigers have lined up against Bethune-Cookman, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, Alcorn State and Southern. None of these opponents pose a challenge even remotely close to that of SC State.
Phoenix is averaging 9.4 yards per attempt for SC State, and four receivers are averaging over 15 yards per reception this season. The Bulldogs have been able to put drives together consistently all season and have found themselves in the red zone 47 times this year, a number that far exceeds the previous couple of seasons.
SC State converts third downs well at 43%, and running back KZ Adams is electric with the football in his hands.
JSU doesn't have a strong passing game, so the concern here for the Tigers will be when the negative plays are realized and the running game isn't exploding for chunk plays.
Morgan was banged up in the last game, and while he's set to start this week, he still might be feeling the effects of the lingering injury.
I think both teams are going to show up for this one, and we should see a very spirited and emotional game.
Simply put, I feel that South Carolina State is the more complete football team that's stronger on both sides of the ball. This offense has averaged over 41 points per game during its eight-game winning streak, and the Bulldogs continue to impress me with their developed explosive passing game that has really taken off.
Chennis Berry is doing a remarkable job here, and I fully expect the Bulldogs to cap off their season with a win here in this game. Go Bulldogs!
Pick: South Carolina State ML -135
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Start Time, TV Channel, Location, How to Watch
| Location: | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA |
| Date: | Saturday, Dec. 14 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ABC |
Jackson State vs South Carolina State Weather
