Camellia Bowl: What to Know

In collaboration with M!KEDROPSPORTS

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl

Georgia Southern Eagles (9-3) vs Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-5)

Date/Time: Saturday December 15 @ 5:30 ET 

Location: Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama

Bowl history

Originated: 2014

History of Conferences: Georgia Southern represents the 4th Sun Belt team in 5 years to participate; Sun Belt teams are 2-0 

Last year’s result: Middle Tennessee beat Arkansas State

Georgia Southern bowl history

Georgia Southern officially began FBS play in 2013 and their lone bowl game appearance was in 2015. That game was also against a MAC opponent (like EMU), a 58-27 win over Bowling Green in the GoDaddy Bowl.

Eastern Michigan bowl history

Eastern Michigan has appeared in just three bowl games all-time. They last played in a bowl in 2016, a 24-20 loss to Old Dominion in the Bahamas Bowl. Their last win came in the 1987 California Bowl against San Jose State. Their other bowl was the 1971 Pioneer Bowl, which they lost to Louisiana Tech.

Series history

This will be the first all-time meeting between these schools.

Key players to watch for each team

Georgia Southern: Wesley Fields/Shai Werts, RBs

Eastern Michigan: Tyler Wiegers, QB

Game Notes:

Georgia Southern

Low key, the Sun Belt East was one of the most competitive divisions in football this year. Georgia Southern finished 6-2 in conference, which put them in third behind Appalachian State and Troy. They beat App State after the Mountaineers were ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history.

Georgia Southern experienced two terrible seasons under former coach Tyson Summers in 2016-2017, following the departure of Willie Fritz to Tulane in 2015. First year head coach Chad Lunsford did a great job in year one, restoring order and winning in Statesboro.

Eastern Michigan

It’s been a weird season for Eastern Michigan. They beat Purdue on the road in week 2 and it seemed like a big breakthrough victory for Chris Creighton’s team. It was not – the Eagles went on to lose 4 games in a row following that win, but did end the season winning 5 out of 6 games to secure this bowl bid. They did finish second in the MAC East at 5-3, one game behind winner Northern Illinois.

Final analysis

For Georgia Southern, it’s about finding momentum in their running game as their two lead backs combined for 21 touchdowns. In regards to Eastern Michigan, it’s about ball control and protection as they threw just three interceptions.

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