JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern Eagles vs Appalachian State Mountaineers Betting Pick & Prediction for 12/29

College Football Preview

The Georgia Southern Eagles will take on the Appalachian State Mountaineers in the 2025 JLab Birmingham Bowl. This game will be played at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. It is scheduled for Monday, December 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Georgia Southern enters the game with a regular season record of 6-6. They had a balanced performance at home and on the road, going 4-2 and 2-4, respectively. Appalachian State finished their season at 5-7, with a 3-3 record at home and 2-4 on the road. Both teams compete in the Sun Belt Conference.

Georgia Southern Team Preview

The Georgia Southern Eagles have shown mixed performances in recent games. They won against Marshall with a score of 24-19 and had 31 first downs in that game. However, they lost to Old Dominion 45-10, only managing 13 first downs and 49 rushing yards.

Offensively, the Eagles have scored 334 points this season, ranking 55th. Their passing game is stronger, with 3040 yards and a 45th rank. The rushing game ranks 78th with 1789 yards, while they are 30th in first downs with 265.

JC French IV leads the team as quarterback, with 2753 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. OJ Arnold has been effective as a running back, gaining 885 rushing yards. Camden Brown is a key receiver with 1049 yards and 14 touchdowns.

JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern vs Appalachian State Game Day Info

  • Sport: NCAA Football
  • Teams: Georgia Southern Eagles vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers
  • Venue: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, AL
  • Date: Monday, December 29, 2025
  • Betting Odds: Georgia Southern Moneyline -131, Appalachian State Moneyline +110, Spread Georgia Southern -2.5 (-112), Spread Appalachian State +2.5 (-110), Total Over 59.5 (-112), Total Under 59.5 (-109)

Appalachian State Team Preview

The Appalachian State Mountaineers have faced some tough games recently. They lost a close one to Arkansas State, 30-29, at home. The team had 271 passing yards and 182 rushing yards in that game.

Earlier, the Mountaineers secured a win against Marshall, 26-24. They had 134 passing yards and 166 rushing yards in that game. The team also recovered three fumbles, which helped them get the victory.

The Mountaineers have some key players dealing with injuries. AJ Swann, their quarterback, is questionable with an undisclosed issue. Several other players, including Jaden Barnes and Izayah Cummings, are also uncertain to play due to various injuries.

BTB Betting Pick

For the spread pick, consider taking Appalachian State at +2.5 (-110). Georgia Southern has allowed 410 points this season, ranking 155th in points against. Appalachian State’s defense is slightly better, having allowed 358 points, ranking 131st. This suggests Appalachian State can keep the game close or win.

The total for the game is set at 59.5. Both teams have shown the ability to score, with Georgia Southern scoring 334 points and Appalachian State scoring 304 points this season. However, their defenses have also allowed a lot of points. Given these stats, the game might go over the total of 59.5.