Raycom Media Camelia Bowl: Preview, predictions and live stream

The Raycom Camelia Bowl showcases a clash of contrasting styles, the option-oriented attack of Georgia Southern against Eastern Michigan’s pro-style attack.

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The Camelia Bowl is set up to be a matchup of a football game you were more likely to see in 1985 rather than 2018. It’s a battle of the birds in Birmingham as the Eastern Michigan Eagles of the MAC take on the Georgia Southern Eagles of the Sun Belt. It’s a battle of a triple option offense of Georgia Southern against the pro-style attack of Eastern Michigan, hence why it’s matchup you’d see far more often in 1985 rather than 2018.

Eastern Michigan comes into the game with a 7-5 record under fifth-year head coach Chris Creighton and are in their second bowl game in three years after just three wins in Creighton’s first two seasons. Eastern Michigan is led by grad transfer quarterback Tyler Wiegers, who came in last spring after transferring from Iowa. The Eagles signature win this season came against Purdue in West Lafayette, one of two upsets the MAC had over the Big Ten this season.

Georgia Southern comes into Birmingham with a 9-3 record and a third place finish in the Sun Belt’s Eastern division behind Appalachian State and Troy. The Sun Belt’s Eagles carried a vaunted triple-option attack spearheaded by quarterback Shai Werts, running back Wesley Fields and fullback Logan Wright. Werts has a chance to surpass 1,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards if he has a productive game against Eastern Michigan.

Here’s where to watch the Raycom Media Camelia Bowl on Saturday:

Date: Saturday, Dec. 15
Time: 5:30 p.m. EST
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Venue: Cramton Bowl
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Keys to Victory

Eastern Michigan will have to give their best performance defensively this year. The spread triple-option attack of Georgia Southern has a lot of eye candy for opposing linebackers and defensive backs to looks at and involves a lot of misdirection. The Georgia Southern back seven will have to stay true to their reads and force Shai Werts to make mistakes with the football. That, paired with an efficient game from Tyler Wiegers will likely result in an Eastern Michigan win.

Georgia Southern biggest key is the time of possession phase of the game. Running a triple-option offense, they want to burn the clock and grind out yardage and wear down the Eastern Michigan defense. If they are able to dominate the time of possession, it’s likely they’ll come away with a win. Shai Werts will also have to continue his precise decision-making with the football and avoid turnovers.

Betting Odds

Line: Georgia Southern -3

Over/under: 48

Predictions

This game looks to be a mismatch on paper as Georgia Southern has the upper hand in terms of time possession, offensive efficiency and overall record. Eastern Michigan will put up a good fight however as Chris Creighton isn’t one to have his guys unprepared for a big game or a bowl game for that matter. In the end however, the Georgia Southern option attack will wear down the Eastern Michigan defense and will pull away in the fourth quarter

Prediction: Georgia Southern 35, Eastern Michigan 21,