New Orleans Bowl: Georgia Southern (8-4) faces Sam Houston (9-3) on December 19, starting at 7 p.m. EST.

BetMGM College Football has Georgia Southern favored by 5.5 points.

**KEY MATCHUP**

Georgia Southern’s offense averages 364.1 yards per game, placing them 92nd in the FBS, while their opponent, Sam Houston, boasts a formidable defense ranked 19th, allowing an average of just 315.6 yards per game.

On the ground, Sam Houston’s rushing attack ranks 30th in the FBS, putting up 190.3 yards per game. In contrast, Georgia Southern’s run defense struggles, allowing an average of 179.8 yards per game, which ranks 104th.

**LAST GAME**

In their latest outing, Georgia Southern emerged victorious against Appalachian State, securing a 29-20 win. Quarterback JC French had a standout performance, throwing for 166 yards with an impressive completion rate of 84.2% (16-of-19), accompanied by one touchdown and no interceptions. He also contributed significantly in the running game, rushing 16 times for 51 yards. Additionally, Jalen White made a notable impact with 125 rushing yards on 18 carries, finding the end zone three times. Wide receiver Josh Dallas contributed four receptions, totaling 53 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Sam Houston triumphed over Liberty with a narrow 20-18 win. Hunter Watson passed for 202 yards, completing 57.6% of his attempts (19-of-33) with two touchdowns but also tossed an interception. He complemented his passing with 14 rushes that netted 33 yards. Jevyon Ducker was also key, rushing for 96 yards on 24 carries, alongside two receptions for 17 yards, while Simeon Evans made a mark with six catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

**PLAYERS TO WATCH**

For Georgia Southern, JC French has impressive totals, passing for 2,619 yards (averaging 218.3 yards per game) with a completion rate of 65.9%, leading to 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has also contributed 216 rushing yards and one touchdown. Jalen White’s solid performance includes 655 rushing yards from 148 carries (54.6 per game) and an impressive 13 rushing touchdowns, along with 18 receptions for 64 yards. Derwin Burgess Jr. stands out in the receiving corps, amassing 603 yards (50.3 per game) on 53 catches, including three touchdowns.

For Sam Houston, Hunter Watson has passed for 1,598 yards (145.3 per game), connecting on 60.1% of his attempts (152 for 253), with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also shows versatility with 623 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Jevyon Ducker has made significant contributions with 719 rushing yards over 148 carries (averaging 59.9 yards per game) and seven touchdowns, alongside 15 receptions for 110 yards. Additionally, Simeon Evans has been a reliable target, securing 43 receptions for 474 yards (39.5 per game) and five touchdowns.

**FACTS & FIGURES**

This season, Georgia Southern has outscored its opponents by an average of 0.9 points per game, while Sam Houston has enjoyed a slightly larger margin, outscoring opponents by 3.2 points per game.

Offensively, Georgia Southern ranks 92nd in the FBS with an average of 364.1 yards per game, but has struggled defensively, placing 15th worst by allowing 442.2 yards a game.

Sam Houston has been effective on the turnover front, forcing 22 turnovers while suffering 14 themselves, resulting in a positive margin of +8, which ranks 20th in college football.