Bowl projections: National experts see New Orleans in Jacksonville State's future

Diehard sees Jacksonville State facing unbeaten James Madison on Bourbon Street.

Diehard Sports Network, in its first bowl projection of the season, predicts the Gamecocks will face James Madison — the only unbeaten G6 team at 7-0 — in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 23. All eight national projectors have the Gamecocks in a bowl, and six of them agree on New Orleans. Jacksonville State is 5-2 overall, 3-0 in league play and riding a four-game winning streak into a 15-day break. The Gamecocks own CUSA's only unblemished league record and need one win from five remaining games to clinch bowl eligibility.

Where the bowl projections have Jacksonville State

Projector | Bowl | Date | TV | Matchup

Brett McMurphy (On3) | Frisco Bowl | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. App State

Brad Crawford (CBS Sports) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. James Madison

Bryan Fischer (SI.com) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. South Alabama

Steven Lassan (Athlon Sports) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. James Madison

Kyle Bonagura (ESPN) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. App State

Mark Schlabach (ESPN) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. James Madison

Pete Fiutak (CFN) | Myrtle Beach | Dec. 21 | ESPN | Jax State vs. North Texas

Tim Stephens (Diehard) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | Jax State vs. James Madison

Six of eight project the New Orleans Bowl. The contracted tie-in is CUSA vs. Sun Belt — and if Jacksonville State wins the conference, New Orleans is the likely reward. On3's Brett McMurphy has Jax State in the Frisco Bowl. College Football News' Pete Fiutak is the only projector to place the Gamecocks outside of a Dec. 23 game, projecting the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec. 21 against North Texas.

Where they stand

Jacksonville State is 3-0 in CUSA, a half-game ahead of Liberty (2-0). Western Kentucky is 2-1. Everyone else has at least two losses.

The Gamecocks beat FIU 27-24 on Oct. 13 when Jacksonville State kicker Garrison Rippa drilled a 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds left. Quarterback Caden Creel directed his sixth career game-winning drive. Jacksonville State is 24-5 against CUSA opponents since joining the conference in 2023 and 13-1 in weekday conference games over the past four years.

Remaining schedule

• Oct. 28 — at New Mexico State (2-4, 1-1 CUSA)
• Nov. 7 — Sam Houston (1-5, 0-2 CUSA)
• Nov. 14 — at WKU (3-4, 2-1 CUSA)
• Nov. 21 — Missouri State (2-4, 1-1 CUSA)
• Nov. 28 — at Delaware (2-4, 0-2 CUSA)

Four of the five opponents have losing records. New Mexico State, Sam Houston, Missouri State and Delaware are a combined 7-17. The WKU road game on Nov. 14 is the toughest remaining test — the only opponent currently above .500 in league play.