On Monday afternoon, Coastal Carolina (6-6) faces UTSA (6-6) as 13.5-point underdogs at bet365 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina.
Neither team had quite the season they hoped this year, but both did enough to reach bowl eligibility. Can the Chanticleers finish their season on a high note in their home stadium? Or will the Roadrunners travel well and emerge with a win? Let’s dive into the matchup and find out.
Myrtle Beach Bowl - Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Odds
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA, Dec. 23, 11:00 am ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | +13.5 (-105) | +400 | O56 (-110) |
| UTSA Roadrunners | -13.5 (-115) | -550 | U56 (-110) |
Odds as of Dec. 23 at bet365
Myrtle Beach Bowl - Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Picks
UTSA -13.5 (-115) at bet365
As is often the case in bowl games this time of year, both teams are missing key players on both sides of the ball. Coastal Carolina will be without both quarterbacks who took snaps for them this year - Noah Kim and Ethan Vasko - and the Chanticleers will likely see redshirt freshman Tad Hudson take his first career snaps at the college level.
Hudson will be saddled with an offense likely missing right tackle Zovon Lindsay, left guard Anthony Walton, and wide receiver Cameron Wright, who all missed time at the end of the year with injuries. On defense, the Chanticleers will also be missing a handful of key players, including linebacker Clev Lubin, who led the team with 9.5 sacks and has transferred to Auburn.
Meanwhile, UTSA will be without running backs Kevorian Barnes (transfer) and Robert Henry (draft). Defensive end Ronald Triplette, UTSA’s highest-graded player on PFF, has transferred to Georgia Tech. However, most of the Roadrunners’ roster looks intact for this game. However, be sure to monitor the statuses of edge rusher Jimmori Robinson and cornerback Denver Harris, who could both enter at less than 100%.
Owen McCown will lead the Roadrunners into battle on Monday after a strong season with over 3,000 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to nine interceptions. UTSA has a talented complement of pass catchers headlined by Willie McCoy, Chris Carpenter, and Houston Thomas, who all finished with over 400 receiving yards. The Coastal Carolina defense was prone to giving up big plays, ranking 89th in PFF’s coverage grades and allowing 18 completions of 30+ yards this year.
Ultimately, the UTSA roster is much closer to full strength, which should make a massive difference in this game. I played the UTSA Moneyline along with Memphis earlier in bowl season, but they make for a strong Moneyline parlay piece with another favorite you like.
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Prop Pick
Brandon High OVER 56.5 Rushing Yards (-115) at FanDuel
The Roadrunners are expected to be without their top two running backs in this game. Kevorian Barnes has committed to transferring to TCU, while Robert Henry has declared for the NFL Draft and was injured during the regular season finale.
Brandon High should step up with a big-time workload, and he flashed talent on limited touches this year, averaging 5.1 YPC on 81 carries. Coastal Carolina allows 180.2 rushing yards per game (105th) and will be without multiple key players, including edge defender Clev Lubin, who ranks second on the team with 26 run stops.
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Betting Trends
- Tim Beck won his only bowl game as a head coach last year
- Jeff Traylor has a 1-3 record as a head coach in bowl games
- Owen McCown has thrown for 2+ touchdowns in five of his last seven games
