The Ohio Bobcats (10-3, 7-1 MAC) take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (9-4, 7-1 Conference USA) in the Cure Bowl on Friday, Dec. 20. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The big news is that former Gamecocks head coach Rich Rodriguez has accepted the West Virginia head coaching job, resulting in a lot of turnover in the program.
Ohio head coach Tim Albin has also departed the program to take the Charlotte job, so offensive coordinator Brian Smith will serve as the interim head coach. Remarkably, Ohio is the only program in the country with no one in the transfer portal.
There's a lot of player movement on the Jacksonville State side of things, making Ohio a -4.5 favorite with the over/under at 55.5.
Let's get into my Ohio vs. Jacksonville State predictions and college football picks for the 2024 Cure Bowl on Friday, Dec. 20.
Ohio Bobcats vs Jacksonville State Gamecocks Prediction, Picks
- Ohio vs. Jacksonville State Pick: Over 56.5
My Jacksonville State vs. Ohio best bet is on both sides to go over the total, with the best line currently available at ESPN Bet, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Ohio vs Jacksonville State Odds, Spread
| Ohio Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 57.5 -110 / -110 | -240 |
| Jacksonville State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 57.5 -110 / -110 | +196 |
- Ohio vs Jacksonville State Spread: Ohio -6.5 · Jacksonville State +6.5
- Ohio vs Jacksonville State Over/Under: 57.5
- Ohio vs Jacksonville State Moneyline: Ohio -240 · Jacksonville State +196
Ohio vs Jacksonville State Cure Bowl Betting Preview
Ohio Bobcats Betting Preview: Shocking the MAC
Many thought Albin's departure from the program to take the Charlotte job was a shocker, especially after crushing preseason expectations with the Bobcats. There was a ton of uncertainty, but it ultimately resulted in a MAC Championship, the program's first since 1968.
Interestingly enough, the Bobs don't have any opt-outs or transfers for the bowl game, which should give them an edge. But it's essential we recap the type of year the Bobs had in the MAC, especially given that they exceeded everyone's expectations.
Ohio was difficult to handicap all season, as the market seemingly never caught up. Miami (OH) trounced the Bobcats during the regular season, but they completely flipped the script in a dominating effort in the MAC Championship game.
The offense relied on its rushing attack, ranking in the 80th percentile in rush explosiveness. It was a decent team creating explosive plays, even through the air.
Quarterback Parker Navarro had a decent year, but this team liked leaning on its defense and run game. Its outstanding defense was a big reason it won the MAC title.
The Gamecocks love to run the football and are explosive on the ground, but that's the strength of Ohio's defense. The Bobs ranked above the 85th percentile in Stuff Rate, Rush EPA, Opportunity Rate and Rush Explosiveness.
This is a promising sign for the Bobcats, especially considering the coaching changes. Their formidable defense could be a significant challenge for the Gamecocks offense, setting the stage for an intense and potentially game-changing matchup.
Jacksonville State Gamecocks Betting Preview: Portal Questions
There are a ton of notable players who are questionable for the Gamecocks due to the coaching changes. Here's the updated list of transfer portal players, according to Stuckey's opt-out and transfer portal tracker as of Thursday morning:
- Starting WR Cam Vaughn
- Starting S Zechariah Poyser (led the defense in snaps)
- Starting OLB Reginald Hughes (best edge player)
- Starting S Fred Perry (first-team All-CUSA)
- Starting CB Jabari Mack
- Starting CB Fred Davis
- CB Derek Carter (207 snaps)
- OL K.D. Arnold (215 snaps)
- S Tee Denson (123 snaps)
- WR Tar’varish Dawson (61 snaps)
Remember that players in the portal are still eligible to play in the bowl game, but there's no official word on whether any of these players will suit up. Most of the players on the list are from the defensive side of the ball, which is a significant concern.
Besides Vaughn, we should see all of the starters on offense play for the Gamecocks. The problem is that they thrived with the ground game, which goes right into the teeth of the Bobcats defense.
As someone critical of Ohio's performance throughout the regular season, I believe the matchup for the Gamecocks offense is particularly challenging. The Bobs defense is legitimate, and they're outstanding at taking away explosive plays.
I am also highly concerned about the Gamecocks' secondary, especially if the players listed above don't play. The Bobcats aren't a great passing team, but they're competent enough to take advantage of the weakened Jacksonville State secondary.
Besides, the Gamecocks already struggled in the explosives department, specifically against pass explosives. I see a path where Ohio can move the ball consistently without any resistance each time it has the ball.
Jacksonville State vs Ohio Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Jacksonville State and Ohio match up statistically:
Ohio Offense vs. Jacksonville State Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 27 | 90 | |
| Line Yards | 52 | 78 | |
| Pass Success | 38 | 53 | |
| Havoc | 58 | 71 | |
| Finishing Drives | 46 | 67 | |
| Quality Drives | 59 | 77 | |
Jacksonville State Offense vs. Ohio Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 21 | 7 | |
| Line Yards | 15 | 19 |  |
| Pass Success | 67 | 48 | |
| Havoc | 29 | 17 | |
| Finishing Drives | 3 | 66 | |
| Quality Drives | 53 | 19 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 107 | 21 |
| PFF Coverage | 42 | 63 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 104 | 91 |
| Middle 8 | 16 | 30 |
| Seconds per Play | 27.2 (73) | 21.5 (2) |
| Rush Rate | 62% (10) | 68% (4) |
Ohio vs Jacksonville State Picks, Best Bets
Despite the Bobcats' strong rush defense, I like the over. The Gamecocks should have most of their offensive starters available to play, and I'm still hesitant to crown the Ohio defense as elite.
The Bobcats should stifle the Gamecocks' rushing attack, but Tyler Huff and Co. should still find success through the air. The Gamecocks are an explosive offense, which typically correlates with a total going over.
The Bobs are not the most explosive on the ground game, but the lack of defensive starters for Jacksonville State should increase the likelihood that we see a lot of points on Friday afternoon.
Sharp money has started to flood in on the over, which tells me that many of these players in the portal will be ruled out for the Gamecocks.
Pick: Over 56.5 (Play to 57.5)
Ohio vs Jacksonville State TV Channel, How to Watch, Streaming, Location, Start Time
| Location: | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL |
| Date: | Friday, Dec. 20 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN |
Ohio takes on Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl on Friday, Dec. 20 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
