Potato Bowl: San Jose State vs Eastern Michigan 12/20/22 College Football Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Eastern Michigan Eagles and San Jose State Spartans do battle Tuesday afternoon in the college football Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium.

The San Jose State Spartans come in repping the Mountain West after going 7-4 in the regular season. Chevan Cordeiro has thrown for 2,884 yards, 20 touchdowns and 4 interceptions on 81% passing along with 215 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns while Kairee Robinson has a team-high 696 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Elijah Cooks has a team-high 63 catches for 983 yards and 10 touchdowns while Justin Lockhart has 566 receiving yards and three more Spartans have 200+ receiving yards as well on the year. On defense, Kyle Harmon has a team-high 94  total tackles while Cade Hall has 7.5 sacks and Viliami Fehoko has 10 sacks as well this season. As a unit, San Jose State has 37 sacks and 13 interceptions this season.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles will be in this one on behalf of the MAC after going 8-4 this season. Taylor Powell’s thrown for 1.813 yards, 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions on 65.3% passing while Samson Evans leads the Eagles in rushing with 1,084 yards and 13 TDs this season. Tanner Knue leads EMU’s receiving corps with 42 catches for 592 yards and 9 touchdowns while Darius Lassiter has 363 receiving yards and Hassan Beydoun and Dylan Drummond each have 400+ receiving yards as well. Three other EMU receivers have 100+ receiving yards on the year. On defense, Chase Kline has a team-high 87 total tackles to lead the Eagles’ defense this season. Jose Ramirez has a team-high 12 sacks as well for EMU on the year.

San Jose State is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games in December while the under is 5-0 in their last 5 games in December. Eastern Michigan is 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in December while the over is 4-0 in their last 4 games in December.

I get the case to be made for San Jose State here, but although we’re in a new situation out of conference, the reality is that the Eagles have done very well as an underdog and have had success in non-conference play, and as an underdog there as well. I just think the value once again is on EMU in the underdog role so give me the Eagles and the points.