Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois Odds, and Picks (Dec 23)

• Arkansas State lost their final game against Marshall, finishing at 6-6 on the season.
• Northern Illinois climbed to 6-6 in their win over Kent State, reaching bowl eligibility.
• These two teams last met on January 8, 2012, in a game Northern Illinois won 38-20.

College football has made it to bowl game season! Let’s preview the upcoming 2023 Camellia Bowl taking place between the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Northern Illinois Huskies, two Group of Five teams.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Arkansas State managed to reach the 6 wins needed for bowl eligibility against Texas State in Week 11. They won that game 77-31, dominating the Bobcats defense. Unfortunately, they regressed in Week 12, coming up short against Marshall. Despite that final loss, the win over Texas State earned them a spot in this bowl. They’ll aim to bounce back on offense in this game against a stringent Northern Illinois defense.

Northern Illinois was in a difficult position five games into the season, sitting at 1-4. They would need to win at least 5 of their next 7 games to reach bowl eligibility. The Huskies managed to do just that, going 5-2 down the stretch. Their final game was a bit of a struggle against 1-11 Kent State, but they got the win nonetheless. Northern Illinois’s defense has been their strongest asset, and continues to be in this game.

Prediction

This bowl game features two scrappy mid-major teams that finished with just enough wins to participate in this match. They’ve both had their ups and downs this season, but Northern Illinois has been the hotter team over the past month. The Huskies have also had a much better defense. On the other hand, the Red Wolves competed in the tougher conference. I’ll still take Northern Illinois to ride their defense to victory.

NCAAF Picks:

• Northern Illinois 27, Arkansas State 23 ()