The 2024 Cure Bowl features the 10-3 Ohio Bobcats against the 9-4 Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Here is the 2024 Cure Bowl Preview.
Ohio won 10 games including the MAC Championship on their way to bowl season. They won four games over bowl-eligible teams this season: South Alabama, Buffalo, Toledo and Miami (Ohio). Their only loss to a team that didn’t make a bowl game was to Kentucky.
The Bobcats score 29.1 points per game, ranking 62nd in the country. They pass for 187.7 yards (ranked 108th) and rush for 211.5 yards per game (ranked 12th).
Parker Navarro has started at quarterback for the Bobcats this season. He has passed for 2,169 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 65.9 percent completion. Three receivers have over 250 yards on the season. Their leading receiver by far is Coleman Owen, who has caught 67 passes for 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns.
Anthony Tyus has been the lead back with 1,111 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Backing him up is freshman Ricky Hunt, who has 362 rushing yards this season. Navarro has dual-threat abilities and rushed for 943 yards this season.
Defensively, the Bobcats allow 17.46 points per game, ranking 11th in the country. They concede 94.3 rushing yards (ranked fifth) and 200.9 passing yards per game (ranked 42nd). Blake Leake has led the team in tackles with 84 on the year. Bradley Weaver has the team-high eight sacks. Roman Parodie has done well in the secondary with nine passes defended and one interception.
Jacksonville State won nine games, including the Conference USA Championship this season. They defeated three bowl-eligible teams this season: Liberty, Sam Houston State and Western Kentucky. Their lone loss to a team who didn’t qualify for a bowl game was against Eastern Michigan.
The Gamecocks score 36.7 points per game, ranking 12th in the country. They rush for 267.3 yards per game (ranked second) and rush for 177.1 yards per game (ranked 117th).
Tyler Huff has played the majority of the snaps at quarterback for the Gamecocks this season. He has passed for 2,179 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions on 60.6 percent completion. Four players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season for Jacksonville State. Cam Vaughn leads the team with 39 catches for 620 yards and four touchdowns.
Tre Stewart has had a great season on the ground for Jacksonville State with 1,604 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. Huff was dynamic as a rusher from the quarterback position with 1,343 rushing yards. There wasn’t much production on the ground outside of those two.
Defensively, the Gamecocks concede 25.6 points per game, ranking 75th in the country. They allow 170.2 rushing yards (ranked 95th) and 215.5 passing yards per game (ranked 62nd). Fred Perry and Antonio Carter are tied for the team lead with 97 total tackles. Reginald Hughes leads the team with 4.5 sacks per game, but he is in the transfer portal. That means J-Rock Swain and Laletia Hale each have 3.5 sacks per game and will need to step up. Jabari Mack has made plays on the ball with 11 passes defended and two interceptions.
Jacksonville State has some players in the transfer portal, but they have players playing who have helped their dynamic rushing attack. They should be able to run the ball and control the clock to pick up the win.
Jacksonville State Gamecocks 23 Ohio Bobcats 21
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