Camellia Bowl Betting Guide: Georgia State Panthers vs. Ball State Cardinals

Georgia State rides a three-game win streak and is favored in the college football odds to defeat Ball State in the Camellia Bowl. The Cardinals feature the speedy Justin Hall, who was selected to 2021 Mid-American Conference teams as a kick returner and wide receiver.

• Game: Georgia State Panthers (7-5) vs. Ball State Cardinals (6-6)
• Location: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Ala.
• Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. ET
• Television: ESPN

Georgia State Panthers vs. Ball State Cardinals

Betting Lines

Panthers Prosper After Surviving Slow Start

Georgia State didn’t have visions of playing a bowl game after a 1-4 start was punctuated with a 45-16 setback to eventual Sun Belt East champion Appalachian State. The Panthers, though, regrouped to win six of their last seven games. Georgia State was 6-1 in the Las Vegas odds during that span after beating Troy 37-10 as a 6½-point favorite. Georgia State is 8-4 against the spread while splitting the over-unders. The Panthers, who joined the FBS ranks in 2013, are 2-2 in bowls.

Players to Watch

Redshirt senior Shamarious Gilmore was a Sun Belt first-team selection. The offensive lineman was part of a unit that allowed junior quarterback Danny Grainger to be sacked only 17 times and opened holes for the two-pronged rushing attack of seniors Tucker Gregg and Jamyest Williams. Grainger threw 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions. Gregg, a third-team pick, and Williams combined for 1,709 yards and ran for nine touchdowns apiece. Junior defensive back Antoine Lane was a first-team choice after finishing third in the Sun Belt with 52 solo tackles.

Injury Report

There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.

Cardinals’ Ally Could Be Recent Bowl Success

Ball State won three straight after a 3-1 start, but could not sustain the success by losing three of its last five. The Cardinals were 4-8 ATS with nine of their games going under, including the last five. Ball State enters with a bit of momentum after snapping a four-game ATS slide with a 20-3 triumph over Buffalo as a six-point favorite when betting online. The Cardinals lost their first seven bowl games before breaking through with a 34-13 victory over San Jose State in the 2020 Arizona Bowl.

Players to Watch

Hall was first-team MAC selection as a returner and second-team pick as a wide receiver. The senior caught five touchdown passes among his 61 receptions and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score. He averaged 34.5 yards on 11 kickoff returns. Senior linebacker Jaylin Thomas was a MAC second-teamer. Thomas shared the MAC lead with four interceptions and was fifth in the conference with a club-most 106 tackles. Carson Steele is enjoying a successful freshman season with 829 yards rushing and six TDs as the team’s featured running back.

Injury Report

There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.

Betting on the Game

If it was as easy as letting the results against Army make the decision, then Ball State is your team. The Cardinals beat the Black Knights 28-16 on Oct. 2 while Georgia State opened its season with a 43-10 loss to Army. The Panthers have a slight edge as they played in a slightly tougher conference and contended for a title, but this game appears to be too close to call in the college football picks. However, the under appears to be a strong play as five straight Ball State games have stayed below the total while five of the last six for the Panthers went under.