Veterans Bowl: South Alabama (6-6) vs. Western Michigan (6-6) is set for Saturday at 9 p.m. EST.
According to BetMGM College Football Odds, South Alabama is favored by 10 points.
KEY MATCHUP:
The Jaguars demonstrate a robust running game, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, ranking them ninth in the nation. In contrast, the Broncos allow 4.8 yards per rush, placing them at 103rd in the FBS.
On the other hand, South Alabama’s defense permits 4.2 yards per rushing attempt, putting them in 67th place among FBS teams. Western Michigan stands 28th in rushing offense, averaging five yards per carry.
LAST GAME:
South Alabama faced Texas State in their previous game, which resulted in a 45-38 loss. Gio Lopez threw for 190 yards, completing one touchdown pass along with two interceptions, while also running for 29 yards and scoring a touchdown. Da’Marion Bothwell contributed significantly with six attempts for 81 yards and two rushing touchdowns, and Jamaal Pritchett recorded 10 receptions totaling 85 yards and one touchdown.
Western Michigan, however, claimed victory against Eastern Michigan with a score of 26-18. Hayden Wolff was efficient in his passing, completing 12 of 17 attempts for 126 yards and one touchdown. Zahir Abdus-Salaam led the ground game with 135 rushing yards on 19 carries, also scoring a touchdown and contributing three catches for 40 yards and another touchdown.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
For South Alabama, Lopez has amassed 2,559 passing yards over the season, averaging 213.3 yards per game, achieving a completion rate of 66% on 206 of his 312 passes. He has thrown 18 touchdowns against five interceptions and also has 465 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Bothwell has recorded 111 carries for 832 rushing yards (69.3 per game) and 13 touchdowns, along with 13 receptions for 92 yards. Pritchett stands out with 91 receptions, ranking ninth in the nation with a total of 1,127 receiving yards (93.9 per game) and nine touchdowns.
Western Michigan’s Wolff has passed for 2,212 yards this season (averaging 184.3 yards per game) with a completion rate of 67%. He boasts 17 touchdown passes against seven interceptions. In the rushing department, Jaden Nixon has 132 carries for 876 yards (73 per game) and 12 touchdowns, while Kenneth Womack has made 34 receptions for 456 yards and a single touchdown.
FACTS & FIGURES:
South Alabama has managed to outscore its opponents by an average of 9.5 points per game this season, whereas Western Michigan has been outscored by an average of 2 points per game.
On the defensive side, South Alabama allows an average of 253.3 passing yards per game, ranking as the 18th worst in college football. This has put pressure on their 48th-ranked passing offense, averaging 241.1 yards per game, to perform effectively.
Meanwhile, Western Michigan struggles in passing, ranking 109th with an average of 186.1 yards per game, and they sit at 67th defensively, allowing 217.9 passing yards per game.
