Myrtle Beach Bowl 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Marshall Thundering Herd defeated the UConn Huskies 28-14 in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Check out last year's coverage here below and tune back in with us soon for the 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions.

Jim Mora Jr. is hoping to lead the Connecticut Huskies to their first winning season since 2010. Connecticut surpassed all expectations by getting to a bowl game for the first time since 2015, as Mora provided a steady hand in his first year at the helm.

However, the Huskies are a double-digit underdog to the Marshall Thundering Herd per the college football betting odds in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. This game will be played on Monday, December 19, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. ET from Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina.

Marshall Thundering Herd vs. UConn Huskies Betting Prediction

The Connecticut Huskies became bowl eligible for the first time since 2015 thanks to two improbable victories. The Huskies knocked off Fresno State at home as a 23-point underdog in early October, and they came from behind to beat Liberty as a 14-point dog in mid-November. However, five of their six losses were by 11 points or more, showcasing the duality of this team. 

Score Prediction: Marshall 20, Connecticut 17
Best Bet: UConn +10

Marshall Thundering Herd vs. UConn Huskies Betting Odds

Marshall Thundering Herd vs. UConn Huskies Betting Resources

• Date: Monday, December 19, 2022
• Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Venue: Brooks Stadium
• Location: Conway, South Carolina
• Expert Picks

Updated on 11/15/2023

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Marshall Thundering Herd Betting Analysis

Second-year head coach Charles Huff has taken Marshall to a bowl game for the second straight season. However, Marshall has one of the worst offenses of any team taking part in bowl season. The Thundering Herd have the 122nd ranked offense in the nation by SP+ as the passing game has struggled and the red zone offense has been abysmal.

Texas Tech transfer Henry Colombi was underwhelming as Marshall’s starting quarterback. Colombi gave way to freshman Cam Fancher in late October, and Fancher has gone on to perform relatively well in this offense all things considered. Fancher is completing 56.3% of his passes for 1,465 yards (6.8 YPA) with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He is the second leading rusher on the team, and Corey Gammage has been his favorite target in the passing game.

Florida State transfer Khalan Laborn has thrived at Marshall. Laborn is one of the nation’s leading rushers with 1,423 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, and he is averaging 5.1 YPC. He completely outshined last year’s leading rusher Rasheen Ali, but he wasn’t a real threat in the passing game.

The Thundering Herd have the eighth ranked defense in the nation per SP+. Marshall has the best third down defense in the country (25.5%), and the run defense has been particularly fearsome with a great front seven. Owen Porter was a First Team All-Sun Belt selection after leading the team with 9.5 sacks, and safety Micah Abraham was a First Team All-Sun Belt choice with eight passes defensed and five interceptions.

UConn Huskies Betting Analysis

Freshman quarterback Zion Turner was originally supposed to back up Ta’Quan Roberson this season. However, Roberson was injured in the first quarter of the first game and didn’t see the field again this season. That put the spotlight on Turner, and he performed reasonably well given his inexperience. Turner completed 60.6% of his passes for 1,241 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions.  He is a decent runner, yet he is averaging just 5.4 YPA through the air, so don’t expect a lot of big plays.

Victor Rosa and Devontae Houston are the top two running backs for the Huskies. Rosa has run for nine touchdowns and can get short yardage necessary to keep drives alive, while Houston is the explosive back that is averaging 6.8 YPC. Unfortunately, Nathan Carter won’t be available for this game after entering the transfer portal, but Keelan Marion is set to return after breaking his collarbone in the season opener. Aaron Turner is the top receiver with 52 receptions for 462 yards and three touchdowns.

The Huskies have been pretty good on defense all things considered. UConn is allowing just 28.2 PPG as Eric Watts has been a difference maker with seven sacks. Tre Wortham leads the team with four interceptions, highlighting that this secondary is the strength of the unit. They aren’t great on this side of the ball, but they have had three weeks to prepare for a Marshall squad that is pretty one-dimensional on offense.                  

Myrtle Beach Bowl Best Bets

Myrtle Beach Bowl History

One of the newest bowls in 2020 took place in South Carolina as the Myrtle Beach Bowl debuted. This bowl has conference tie-ins with Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and the Sun Belt Conference.

The first edition of the Myrtle Beach Bowl was a blowout in December 2020, as Appalachian State routed North Texas 56-28 to easily cash as 21.5-point favorites. In 2021, Tulsa defeated Old Dominion 30-17 to cover as nine-point favorites.

For more coverage of bowl season, check out our College Football Bowl Central!