The 2024 68 Ventures Bowl features the 7-5 Arkansas State against the 8-4 Bowling Green Falcons. Here is the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl Preview.
Arkansas State Red Wolves
Arkansas State won seven games this season to qualify for a bowl game. They defeated one bowl-eligible team this season: South Alabama. Only one of their losses was to a team that didn’t make a bowl game: Old Dominion.
The Red Wolves score 24.8 points per game, ranked 94th in the country. They pass for 227.1 yards (ranked 68th) and rush for 159.3 yards per game (ranked 73rd).
Jaylen Raynor has been the starting quarterback for the Red Wolves this season. He has passed for 2,562 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 61.8 percent completion. Four pass-catchers have over 200 receiving yards on the season. Corey Rucker has been the top receiver with 65 receptions for 946 yards and five touchdowns.
Four players have rushed for over 200 yards this season. Zak Wallace and Ja’Quez Cross lead the team with 622 and 600 yards a piece. Raynor has 392 rushing yards from the quarterback position, while Devin Spencer totaled 206 behind Wallace and Cross in the backfield.
Defensively, the Red Wolves give up 32.3 points per game, ranking 112th in the country. They allow 227.1 passing yards and 159.3 rushing yards per game. Marvin Ham leads the team with 90 total tackles. Jayden Jones and Bryan Whitehead are tied for the team lead with four sacks. Jones is in the transfer portal. Websley Etienne has been a factor with four passes defended and two interceptions.
Bowling Green Falcons
Bowling Green won seven games, including five of their last six games. They defeated two bowl-eligible teams: Western Michigan and Toledo. Their lone loss to a team that didn’t qualify for a bowl game was to Old Dominion.
The Falcons score 26.8 points per game, ranking 78th in the country. They pass for 224.6 yards (ranked 70th) and rush for 144.4 yards per game (ranked 83rd).
Connor Bazelak, the former Missouri quarterback, has started for Bowling Green this season. He has passed for 2,654 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions on 67.1 percent completion. Four players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has had a historic season for the position with 100 catches for 1,342 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Bowling Green have had two running backs carry the load for the Falcons. Leading rusher Terion Patterson is in the transfer portal though, so Jaison Patterson will need to step his game up. He has 411 rushing yards and five touchdowns this season.
Defensively, the Falcons allow 20.3 points per game, ranking 22nd in the country. They concede 224.6 passing yards and 144.4 rushing yards per game. Joseph Sipp Jr. and Brock Horne are tied for the team lead with 75 total tackles. Sipp Jr. also leads the team with six sacks. Jacorey Benjamin has made plays on the ball with six passes defended and two interceptions.
Prediction
Bowing Green has a weapon that will be hard to match up with in Fannin Jr. They should be able to put up points against the Arkansas State defense and the Red Wolves will struggle to in the game because of it.
Bowling Green Falcons 35 Arkansas State Red Wolves 28
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