Bowl Projections: 68 Ventures Bowl Preseason Prediction, Breakdown and History

Before the season gets underway, what's the first guess on what the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl might be? Why did we make this call, who else should be in the mix, and what's the history of the bowl?

This will all change throughout the season with its twists and turns, but in the preseason, the 68 Ventures Bowl projection is ...

68 Ventures Bowl Projection

Thursday, December 26
9:00, ESPN
Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL
Bowl Affiliations : CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
Last Season: South Alabama 59, Eastern Michigan 10
Preseason Bowl Projection (with predicted final regular season records)
Iowa State (6-6)* vs James Madison (9-3)

CFN Preview of All 134 Teams

Why this is the preseason 68 Ventures Bowl Projection

Conference USA teams are tough to predict here - there just won’t be that many to pick from.

Jacksonville State would be a great get for Mobile, Alabama, but there will be SO many Sun Belt teams that someone like James Madison or Troy would work out great.

Take your pick from possible MAC teams other than Eastern Michigan - it played in this in two of the last three seasons - but with so many Power Four schools needing a bowl home, let’s throw an Iowa State at a wall here and see if it sticks.

(Okay, OKAY … it’ll probably be a MAC team. But really, the Big 12 has to find more bowl spots.

5 teams also in the mix for the 68 Ventures Bowl

1. Jacksonville State
2. Bowling Green
3. Troy
4. Northern Illinois
5. Western Michigan

68 Ventures Bowl History

Dec 23, 2023 South Alabama 59, Eastern Michigan 10
Dec 27, 2022 Southern Miss 38, Rice 24
Dec. 18, 2021 Liberty 56, Eastern Michigan 20
Dec. 26, 2020 Georgia State 39, WKU 21
Jan. 6, 2020 Louisiana 27, Miami University 17
Dollar General Bowl
Dec. 22, 2018 Troy 42, Buffalo 32
Dec. 23, 2017 Appalachian State 34, Toledo 0
Dec. 23, 2016 Troy 28, Ohio 23
GoDaddy Bowl
Dec. 23, 2015 Georgia Southern 58 Bowling Green 27
Jan. 4, 2015 Toledo 63 Arkansas State 44
Jan. 5, 2014 Arkansas State 23 Ball State 20
Jan. 6, 2013 Arkansas State 17 Kent State 13
Jan. 8, 2012 Northern Illinois 38 Arkansas State 20
Jan. 6, 2011 Miami Univ. 35 Middle Tennessee 21
GMAC Bowl
Jan. 6, 2010 Central Michigan 44 Troy 41 (2 OT)
Jan. 6, 2009 Tulsa 45 Ball State 13
Jan. 6, 2008 Tulsa 63 Bowling Green 7
Jan. 7, 2007 Southern Miss 28 Ohio 7
Dec. 21, 2005 Toledo 45 UTEP 13
Dec. 22, 2004 Bowling Green 52 Memphis 35
Dec. 18, 2003 Miami Univ. 49 Louisville 28
Dec. 18, 2002 Marshall 38 Louisville 15
12, 19, 2001 Marshall 64 East Carolina 61 (2 OT)
Mobile Alabama Bowl
12, 20, 2000 Southern Miss 28 TCU 21
Dec. 22, 1999 TCU 28 East Carolina 14