A pair of 7-5 teams from the Sun Belt and MAC are set to square off at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, on Dec. 26 as Arkansas State meets Bowling Green in the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl.

The game has existed since 1999 and gone by quite a few names, most recently the LendingTree Bowl, and this year’s iteration pits two teams that finished with winning records in conference play against each other.

Former Tennessee coach Butch Jones leads the Red Wolves in his fourth season, and they finished third in the Sun Belt West but suffered blowout losses to Louisiana and Texas State, which finished ahead of them.

The Falcons, led by sixth-year coach Scot Loeffler, finished tied for third in the MAC as they were predicted before the season. After a 2-4 start, Bowling Green strung five wins together in a row, a streak that ended in the final week of the regular season against Miami (Ohio).

A victory in the 68 Ventures Bowl would give Bowling Green its first bowl win since 2014 and the first under Loeffler. It would also mark his first eight-win season and the Falcons’ first since 2015. Jones is also looking for his first eight-win season at Arkansas State, a program that boasts four bowl wins since moving up to FBS in 1992 but none since 2019, before Jones took over.

We’ll see which coach can reach eight wins for the first time at their respective programs when Arkansas State and Bowling Green head to Mobile on Boxing Day.

Data Skrive

Harold Fannin and the Bowling Green Falcons and the Arkansas State Red Wolves play in the 68 Ventures Bowl. The bowl matchup is December 26, 2024, starting at 9 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN.

Interested in watching the matchup featuring the Falcons and Red Wolves? You can find it on ESPN.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.

Learn more about the Bowling Green Falcons and the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

How to Watch Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State

• When: Thursday, December 26, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama
• Live Box Score: FOX Sports

Read More About This Game

• Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State Predictions

Bowling Green’s 2024 Schedule

Bowling Green 2024 Stats & Insights

• Bowling Green ranks 87th in total offense (369.4 yards per game) and 32nd in total defense (331.1 yards allowed per game) this season.
• Bowling Green ranks 70th in passing yards this year (224.6 per game), but has been thriving on the other side of the ball, ranking 20th-best in the FBS with 181.3 passing yards allowed per game.
• The Falcons rank 73rd in points scored this season (26.8 points per game), but they’ve been shining on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 20th-best in the FBS with 20.3 points allowed per game.
• The Falcons are totaling 144.8 rushing yards per game on offense this season (83rd in the FBS), and they are surrendering 149.8 rushing yards per game (73rd) on the other side of the ball.
• Bowling Green ranks 91st in third-down conversion rate this season (37.5%), but has been playing really well on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 16th-best in the FBS with a 32.3% third-down conversion rate allowed.
• The Falcons rank 47th in college football with a +3 turnover margin after forcing 13 turnovers (99th in the FBS) and committing 10 (15th in the FBS).

Bowling Green 2024 Key Players

Arkansas State’s 2024 Schedule

Arkansas State 2024 Stats & Insights

• Arkansas State’s defense has been bottom-25 in total defense this season, allowing 460.7 total yards per game, which ranks sixth-worst. On the offensive side of the ball, it ranks 66th with 386.4 total yards per contest.
• Arkansas State is putting up 227.1 passing yards per game on offense this season (67th-ranked). Meanwhile, it is allowing 234.4 passing yards per contest (96th-ranked) on defense.
• The Red Wolves rank 93rd in points per game (24.8), but they’ve been less productive on the other side of the ball, ranking 23rd-worst in the FBS with 32.3 points allowed per contest.
• The Red Wolves rank 73rd in rushing yards per game (159.3), but they’ve been less productive defensively, ranking fourth-worst in the FBS with 226.3 rushing yards surrendered per contest.
• Arkansas State’s defense has been bottom-25 on third down this season, surrendering a 46.9% third-down conversion percentage, which ranks 12th-worst in the FBS. On offense, it ranks 71st with a 46.9% third-down rate.
• The Red Wolves have recorded 19 forced turnovers (43rd in the FBS) and committed 17 turnovers (60th in the FBS) this season for a +2 turnover margin that ranks 54th in the FBS.

Arkansas State 2024 Key Players

FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Bowling Green Falcons

Arkansas State Red Wolves

College Football

Pine Bluff native and Missouri transfer wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield signed with Arkansas on Wednesday.

The former four-star recruit announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal last Thursday and he officially entered last Friday. Crutchfield redshirted this season for the Tigers.

A 6-foot-2, 188-pound pass catcher, Crutchfield recorded 42 receptions for 930 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior season at Pine Bluff. He was committed to Arkansas for nearly seven months before eventually signing with Missouri.

Crutchfield will have four years of eligibility remaining. He was rated by Rivals as the No. 2 overall recruit and No. 1 wide receiver in the state of Arkansas in the 2024 recruiting class.