The 2023 college football bowl season delivers another loaded slate of games on Saturday, starting with a battle between Arkansas State and Northern Illinois in the Camellia Bowl. It is the ninth meeting between the Red Wolves and Huskies and their first since the 2011 bowl season -- a 38-20 NIU victory in what is now the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The Huskies have the upper hand in the series, holding a 7-1 edge over the Red Wolves.
While this isn't most high-profile bowl matchup, there's a lot on the line. Saturday will make the difference between a winning and losing season for both teams. Arkansas State and NIU both finished the regular season 6-6, achieving bowl eligibility on the dot. It was a particularly impressive feat for the Huskies, who squeezed their way into a bowl game with victories in each of their final two regular-season contests to overcome a dismal 1-4 start.
Viewing information, storylines and more for the 2023 Camellia Bowl are below.
How to watch Camellia Bowl live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 23 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Cramton Bowl -- Montgomery, Alabama
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
For a limited time, new subscribers can save $20 on Fubo's Pro, Elite and Premier plans.
Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois: Need to know
Red Wolves, Huskies return to bowl season: Neither Arkansas State or NIU achieved bowl eligibility in 2022. While the Huskies qualified for a bowl two years ago, the wait has been twice as long for the Red Wolves. After ending the 2019 season with a win against FIU in the Camellia Bowl, tough times fell upon Arkansas State from 2020-22. The Red Wolves won just a total of nine games and underwent a coaching transition from Blake Anderson (now at Utah State) to Butch Jones in that stretch. It didn't appear as if things were getting any better in 2023 when the team started 0-2, complete with a 73-0 loss at Oklahoma. However, Arkansas State rebounded with a three-game winning streak and managed to right the ship, getting a bowl-clinching sixth win with a game to spare in the regular season.
NIU looks to end drought: A win in the Camellia Bowl would be a full-circle moment for the Huskies. NIU hasn't won a bowl game since it last clashed with Arkansas State a little more than a decade ago, losing seven consecutive bowl appearances since then. That mark is tied with UTEP for the longest active bowl losing streak in the country. With the Miners failing to reach a bowl game this season, NIU must win Saturday to avoid taking sole possession of that title. A majority of those losses haven't been particularly close, either; only two defeats have come in one-score games.
Tale of two defenses: The Red Wolves had to overcome some serious deficiencies on defense to reach a bowl game. Arkansas State ended the regular season giving up 445.5 yards and 31.17 points per game -- marks that ranked No. 124 and No. 104 in the FBS, respectively. That unit will also be down its second-leading tackler from the regular season after linebacker Javante Mackey recently transferred to Memphis. On the flip side, it was the defense that saved NIU in 2023. The Huskies ended the regular season ranked No. 21 nationally in total defense, holding opponents to 316.9 yards on average. NIU's gave up 21.2 points per contest, tied No. 29 nationally with Kansas State.
Camellia Bowl prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Odds are, this battle of .500 teams won't be a barnburner. Then again, how many times have we seen bowl season prove us all wrong? It's a bit tricky to pick this game considering how streaky both teams were at times in the regular season, but NIU -- even as a slim underdog -- ought to like its chances. The Huskies defense is the single biggest advantage for either team. With the way Arkansas State has struggled on that side of the ball, there's a good chance for NIU's offense -- even ranked No. 80 in the country -- to be somewhat productive as long as it limits self-inflicted wounds. The Huskies' track record of success in this series is also hard to ignore. It all might just be enough for NIU to pick up its first bowl in more than a decade. Pick: NIU +2.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence during bowl season? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.
