The upcoming Myrtle Beach Bowl promises to be anything but ordinary, as the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers prepare to host the UTSA Roadrunners on December 23, 2024. Set to kick off at 11 a.m. ET at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina, this matchup between two six-win teams is colored by significant player turnover and expectations from both fan bases.
Coastal Carolina enters the bowl game suffering from turmoil brought on by numerous opt-outs and departures due to the transfer portal. Head coach Tim Beck has seen several players, including starting quarterback Ethan Vasko and backup Noah Kim, decide to leave the program, leaving the Chanticleers to turn to redshirt freshman Tad Hudson. This creates uncertainty at the quarterback position, as Hudson has yet to take any snaps at the collegiate level.
On the other hand, the Roadrunners appear to be relatively stable, with head coach Jeff Traylor's team maintaining its core heading toward the bowl game. While they do have some health concerns around their running backs Robert Henry and Kevorian Barnes, they are not experiencing the same level of roster upheaval. The spread for the game originally opened at UTSA -6.5 but quickly ballooned to as high as -14.5 as betting markets reacted to Coastal Carolina's quarterback situation.
According to betting analysis, “the UTSA ML is sitting at -450,” indicating their status as favorites for this game. The Roadrunners have nonchalantly navigated recent seasons, proving their offensive prowess by scoring consistently, including 38 or more points five times during the last six games. They have managed to finish the season strong, winning three of their last four games.
The changing dynamics of the game stem from the stark contrasts between both teams’ current rosters. Coastal Carolina will not just miss its top two quarterbacks; Holes also plague their already shaky defense, which statistically ranks 105th for points allowed and 101st for total yards. “They will likely be without several starters and key contributors as well,” indicated reports leading up to the game.
Predictors are leaning heavily toward UTSA's advantage. The Roadrunners have been dubbed the “hungrier team” leading up to the matchup, largely due to the differences between their recent form and Coastal Carolina's tumultuous situation. With quarterback Owen McCown revving up his dual-threat ability over the last few games, his skills both through the air and on the ground could exploit the vulnerabilities found on Coastal Carolina’s defense.
Historically, the Myrtle Beach Bowl has witnessed several high-scoring contests integral to its charm, and this year should be no different as UTSA’s explosive offense faces off against Coastal Carolina's defensive struggles. While Coastal Carolina retains some of its offensive weapons, including running backs Braydon Bennett and Christian Washington, the burden on Tad Hudson to lead the team without any experience speaks volumes about the uphill task they face.
With all factors considered, the once competitive spread of this game has turned decidedly against Coastal Carolina. Analysts have forecasted not just losses, but potential blowouts as UTSA seems poised to take full advantage of the gaps left by missing players. Expecting this may lead to UTSA tallying over 35 points once more is reasonable. Meanwhile, any score by the Chanticleers should be hard-earned and may not reach the final mark of even 25 points.
All signs and statistics culminate toward a predicted outcome of UTSA winning 41 to Coastal Carolina’s 20, reinforcing their dominance and potential to establish momentum heading toward the offseason.
Fans tuning in can watch the Myrtle Beach Bowl on ESPN, ensuring all eyes will be on Brooks Stadium to see which team walks away victorious amid these pressing circumstances.
