Bowl season is here! It’s both an exciting and sad time for college football fans. It means that college football is almost over, but at the same time it is the best time of the year for some great college football action. We might as well enjoy it while it is here!
The Raycom Media Camellia Bowl pits the Appalachian State Mountaineers against the Toledo Rockets this year. Appalachian State is playing in this bowl for the second straight season. They knocked off Ohio 31-29 last year. They face another MAC foe this time around. Is it an advantage for Appalachian State to be in the same bowl a second straight season? In this case, I don’t believe it is.
The game is played in Montgomery, Alabama so it is closer to Appalachian State’s campus than Toledo, but I don’t think either team will have all that many fans at this game. The weather forecast for this one looks pretty good at least early in the week.
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl Betting Odds
Betting Favorite: Toledo -1
Total: 58
Motivation is everything in bowl season, and I don’t see any reason to question the motivation level of either of these teams. Both teams have a bunch of key seniors playing in their last game, and they definitely want to end their careers on a winning note.
Appalachian State Mountaineers
Appalachian State ranks 37th in the nation in yards per play on offense at 6.23. The Mountaineers are 13th in the nation in rushing offense. They are 104th in the nation in passing offense. Taylor Lamb is primarily a game manager for this team at the quarterback spot. The stars of the show here are running backs Jalin Moore and Marcus Cox. They will getting the ball early and often in this game.
The Mountaineers defense is giving up only 4.86 yards per play this year, which is 13th best in the nation. They are 7th in the nation in points allowed per game at only 17. In 9 of their 12 games this season, Appalachian State gave up 20 points or less. This is a veteran stop unit that has been the strength of the team.
Toledo Rockets
Toledo is sixth in the nation in yards per play at 7.22. The Rockets are fourth in the nation in total offense. Toledo is eighth in passing offense and 44th in passing offense. This is definitely a team that can beat you either on the ground or through the air. Logan Woodside has thoroughly impressed me this year. Woodside makes all the key plays to help this team win. Woodside completed 69.1% of his passes and threw for 43 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions this season.
Toledo’s defense ranks 78th in the country in yards per play allowed at 5.88. The Rockets gave up 25.2 points per game. This unit is a little weaker than they have been in past years, but they have been pretty good at bending without breaking.
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl Free Pick: Toledo -1
Appalachian State’s defense was good overall this year, but they gave up 45 points at home against Miami, and the Hurricanes were the best offense they faced on the year. Toledo’s offense is better than Miami’s. The Rockets don’t have a great defense, but I think Appalachian State is a little too one-dimensional here. I’ll take the team with the balanced offense who plays in a stronger league. Take Toledo -1.
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Good luck this bowl season.
