Emory's Past Picks
Ohio State's offense is equally as explosive, if not more so than Texas, but what gives them an edge is that they are peaking at the right time and they are not allowing teams to hang around. Defensively they are shutting down both the run and the pass, putting the ball in their explosive offense's hands.
With both teams being eerily similar along both sides of the line of scrimmage, it makes the chess match between the two teams even more important. These teams will play a strong point of attack game and we may be looking at two touchdowns and a series of field goals.
One of the best things this season about the Army football team is that they do a great job of excelling on both sides of the ball. Considering what it took for the La Tech team to get into this bowl game in a last minute change, I don't think they'll be too locked in to put up much of a fight against the Black Knights of the Hudson.
This game will be an excellent showcase for both teams. But why Colorado has more to show is because of it being the final look at both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. This game can help strengthen both players draft stock and I expect it to be a high scoring affair coming from the Buffs side of things.
Miami's QB Cam Ward is looking to boost his draft status and will be more than ready to put on an aerial show against the Cyclones. We know Iowa State struggles to get home and he'll have all day to throw. We also know the Canes defense can't truly be trusted to take a side on the spread, which is why I like them to just win straight up.
Northern Illinois will be competitive but what will keep them from covering the spread is the amount of losses they suffered in the transfer portal. With what the Bulldogs have on defense, I expect them to steal a few possessions away from NIU and help keep this one under this number.
Roadrunner QB Owen McCown gives UTSA the best chance because of his ability to generate the explosive play. When you couple that with how explosive UTSA is on offense, playing on a fast surface, this team should be able to score. Also, and most importantly, there weren't too many losses to the portal for them.
I believe most are missing this one key element about this matchup for the Vols, and it's their run game. This team is built a lot like Ohio State and won't back down from playing any type of game the Buckeyes want to. Expect this game to be more of a field goal than a full touchdown.
When it comes to trusting a QB, Clemson's Cade Klubnik has shown he's more than ready to step up into the spotlight and make a play. He looks like a completely different QB than he did vs Georgia. The Tigers have been playing in playoff mode for about a month now, and 12 points seems like a lot here vs Texas.
If previous matchups are of any indication, then the North Dakota State Bison should be able to replicate the success they had against the Jackrabbits. One of the more solid teams in the FCS this season, the Bison passing game and ability to shut down the run game will be the difference here in the FargoDome.
Notre Dame can cover this spread because they have the ability to make this game a point of attack game. Very disciplined on both sides of the line of scrimmage, which can help them salt the game away offensively. Defensively, they have the secondary to match up well vs Indiana's passing game.
What gives me great confidence in the Bobcats in this game is their ability to rally around each other and play as one. They've removed the interim tag from the coach taking over in this bowl game and didn't lose much, if any in the portal. This is a team that's embracing the bowl game and that'll show on the field.
Where the Black Knights have an advantage over Navy is in their ability to play consistently stout defense. Army's defense is one of the best in the country and does a great job of getting off the field. On the other side of the ball, they have two of the more explosive talents in QB Bryson Daily and RB Kanye Udoh.
MEAC Champs have a slight advantage coming into the Celebration Bowl because of the fact that they don't have to play a conference championship game. That extra week of both rest and prep for the SWAC challenger has always leaned heavily in the favor of the MEAC representative. Expect that to be the case for the very strong South Carolina State Bulldogs.
Tigers Coach T.C. Taylor has Jackson State doing some impressive things since taking over for Coach Prime. Wire to wire, this has been the best team in the SWAC all season long and have dominated on both sides of the ball.