After finishing the regular season 8-4, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks take on the 6-6 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns as a 2.5-point favorite in a game with a 58.5-point total. Let’s dive into our Jacksonville State-Louisiana odds, pick and prediction for this year’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. If you’re looking for more college football bets, check out our college football betting tools and our guide to betting on football.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Bet: Jacksonville State-Louisiana Pick
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Odds
Odds via bet365
Jacksonville St: -140 | Louisiana: +120
Jacksonville St -2.5: -110 | Louisiana +2.5: -110
Over 58.5: -110 | Under 58.5: -110
Expert: Matt Gajewski
Time: Saturday, Dec. 16 at 1:15 p.m. ET
Jacksonville St-Louisiana News & Notes
Jacksonville State Absences: WR Dallan Wright, CB Jabari Mack, Edge Jaylen Swain
Jacksonville St Coaching Changes: N/A
Louisiana Absences: QB Zeon Chriss, QB Ben Wooldridge, RB Dre’lyn Washington, LB Kend’re Gant, S Courtline Flowers
Louisiana Coaching Changes: N/A
Jacksonville State-Louisiana Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville State | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | 1st | 79th |
| Overall Offense | 65th | 25th |
| Run Blocking | 20th | 21st |
| Pass Blocking | 24th | 20th |
| Pass Rate | 128th | 95th |
| Overall Defense | 36th | 70th |
| Run Defense | 23rd | 95th |
| Pass Rush | 57th | 33rd |
| Coverage | 55th | 65th |
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Pick & Prediction
In a Sun Belt-CUSA crossover, Jacksonville State takes on Louisiana as a 2.5-point favorite with the total trading at 58.5. Impressing in their jump to the FBS, Jacksonville State rattled off eight wins, not including a near-upset over South Carolina in November. As the Gamecocks enter bowl season, they come in as the healthier team in this matchup.
Highlighted by seventh-year quarterback Zion Webb, Jacksonville State ranks first in pace with one of the heavier run rates in the country. In addition to a quarterback who rushed for 638 yards, Jacksonville State boasts a healthy stable of backs, including Anwar Lewis, Malik Jackson, and Ron Wiggins Jr. Together, the trio rushed for 1,645 yards.
Making matters worse, Louisiana’s biggest weakness on defense comes against the run, where they rank 95th. The Ragin Cajuns lost stud linebacker Kend’re Gant to the transfer portal, which will leave them even more vulnerable to the run.
As for Louisiana, the team will rely on third-string quarterback Chandler Fields. While Fields has a 70.9% completion percentage for 7.8 yards per attempt, he still largely functions as a game manager. This could pose problems against a healthy, well-rounded Jacksonville State defense. In addition to challenging South Carolina, this unit held a high-powered New Mexico State defense to 20 points in the regular season finale.
With the offense losing multiple signal callers, the unit predictably sputtered down the stretch. In total, the Ragin’ Cajuns lost three of their final four games, including bouts against Arkansas State, Southern Miss, and Troy. For those examining narratives, Jacksonville State also has more to play for in their first bowl game during their FBS tenure.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Pick & Prediction: Jacksonville State -2.5 -110 at bet365
