San Jose State (7-5) vs South Florida (6-6)
Game Info: Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at 8:00 pm (Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex)
The Line: Betting Odds: San Jose State -3.5 / USF +3.5 — Over/Under: 60.5
In this article, we will formulate a South Florida vs San Jose State prediction for this College Football game on Tuesday, December 24th at the Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii. Let’s take a look at the prediction for the Hawaii Bowl.
South Florida Bulls Betting Preview
The South Florida Bulls are 6-6 (4-4) this year after they lost to Rice by a score of 35-28 in their last game. South Florida trailed 27-7 at halftime, but they did score 21 points in the fourth quarter and made the game interesting at the end. The Bulls were outgained by a total of 550-431, lost the turnover battle 2-1, and went 5-15 on third down in the game. Bryce Archie threw for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while Sean Atkins caught seven passes for 110 yards and one score in the loss.
South Florida also has losses against Navy, Memphis, Tulane, Miami, and Alabama, while picking up wins against Bethune-Cookman, Southern Miss, UAB, FAU, Charlotte, and Tulsa. The South Florida offense has scored 31.4 points per game with 226.8 passing yards and 191.3 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 29 points per game this season. Bryce Archie has completed 58% of his passes for 1,679 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while Kelly Joiner has rushed for 766 yards and 11 scores this year.
San Jose State Spartans Betting Preview
The San Jose State Spartans are 7-5 (3-4) this season after they defeated Stanford by a score of 34-31 in their last game. San Jose State led 17-10 at halftime and 27-17 in the third quarter, but they needed a touchdown with 1:55 left for the win. The Spartans outgained Stanford by a total of 443-379, won the turnover battle 3-2, and went 6-15 on third down in the game. Walker Eget threw for 385 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, while Nick Nash caught eight passes for 91 yards and two scores in the win.
San Jose State also has wins over Oregon State, Wyoming, Nevada, Kennesaw State, Air Force, and Sacramento State, while picking up losses against Washington State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Boise State, and UNLV. The SJSU offense has scored 27.5 points per game with 325.3 passing yards and 81.4 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 26.4 points per game this season. Walker Eget has completed 57.4% of his passes for 2,224 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while Nick Nash was the best player for this Spartans team, but he will be sitting out of this game.
Why South Florida will beat San Jose State
- San Jose State has lost each of its last three December games as a favorite.
- South Florida has won each of its last four games against non-conference opponents at neutral venues.
- San Jose State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last three Bowl games.
- The underdog has covered the spread in each of San Jose State’s last three Bowl games.
Total Points Facts
- Six of San Jose State’s last seven games in December have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of South Florida’s last six games have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- San Jose State ranks 132nd among FBS teams for time of possession per game this season (25:41).
- San Jose State ranks 5th among FBS teams for passing yards per game this season (325.8).
- South Florida ranks 130th among FBS teams for Q1 opponent points per game this season (9.3).
- South Florida ranks 128th among FBS teams for passing yards allowed per game this season (278.7).
South Florida vs San Jose State Prediction
San Jose State comes into this matchup after picking up a win against Stanford to end the season, but their offense is missing their biggest weapon in this game. The Spartans relied on Nick Nash to generate a ton of production at the receiver spot, so his absence will be a big one. South Florida has won two of their last three games and they have scored at least 44 points in three of their last five. I think we could see plenty of points in this game, as neither defense is very good, but I like South Florida with the points here.