The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt) meet the UTSA Roadrunners (6-6, 4-4 AAC) in Myrtle Beach Bowl action on Monday, Dec. 23. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET on ESPN.
UTSA has reached the postseason in all five seasons under head coach Jeff Traylor, but it looked like the streak was in jeopardy early in the year. The Roadrunners struggled out of the gate to a 3-5 start but won three of their last four to become bowl-eligible again.
Coastal Carolina had an opposite path, starting the season 4-1 before the offense cratered down the stretch. The Chanticleers went 2-5 to finish the year, but a win in the season finale clinched postseason eligibility.
The Myrtle Beach Bowl will be played in Brooks Stadium, which is home to the Chanticleers. While Coastal Carolina will obviously have the home-field advantage, will it be less excited for this game after losing the opportunity for a fun bowl trip?
UTSA enters as a -13 favorite with the over/under set at 56.
Let's dive into my Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA predictions and college football picks for the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Monday, Dec. 23.
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Prediction
- Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Pick: UTSA -13
My UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina best bet is on the Roadrunners to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Odds
| Coastal Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+13.5 -105 | 55.5 -110 / -110 | +400 |
| UTSA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-13.5 -115 | 55.5 -110 / -110 | -550 |
- Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Spread: Coastal Carolina +13.5 (-105) · UTSA -13.5 (-115)
- Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Over/Under: 55.5 Points
- Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Moneyline: Coastal Carolina +400 · UTSA -550
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Preview
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Betting Preview: Big Names in Portal
It's unclear who will be playing quarterback for Coastal Carolina in this game. Starting quarterback Ethan Vasko and backup Noah Kim are both in the transfer portal. No other quarterback attempted a pass all season, leaving only a pair of freshmen in Tad Hudson and Alex Walker on the depth chart.
Hudson was a four-star recruit out of high school who transferred to Coastal Carolina after a redshirt season at North Carolina. My guess would be he gets the nod.
Either way, expect the Chanticleers to lean on their running game with back Braydon Bennett. The senior had a solid season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry with 11 scores. The offense relied on him more down the stretch, and he should get even more work with backups Christian Washington and Simeon Price both in the portal.
The offense ranked just 85th in Offensive Success Rate on the season. The Chants fired offensive coordinator Travis Trickett after Week 8, but the offense only got worse once Tim Beck took over play-calling duties. The Chants averaged 31.9 points and 396.4 yards per game with Trickett calling plays and averaged 27 points and 362.4 yards under Beck.
The defense wasn't much better, sitting just 84th in Success Rate allowed. The Chants were terrible defending the run, ranking outside the top 100 but did rank above average against the pass.
Coastal Carolina had a pair of first-team All-Sun Belt performers on defense in cornerback Matthew McDoom and defensive end Clev Lubin. However, both already hit the portal and found new homes. McDoom signed with Cincinnati, and Lubin committed to Auburn.
Those are both big losses and will cause this pass defense to take a step back, which is a problem against this UTSA offensive attack.
UTSA Roadrunners Betting Preview: Havoc-Minded Defense
After losing longtime starting quarterback Frank Harris, it took a little while for Owen McCown to find his groove. But once he did, this offense took off.
McCown, the son of 18-year NFL quarterback Josh McCown, finished the season with 24 touchdowns, nine interceptions and over 3,000 yards passing.
McCown threw for over 300 yards in three of the final six games. The skill-position groups dealt with injuries all season, but McCown spread the ball around well. Seven players had at least 20 catches on the season.
The Roadrunners didn't live up to that nickname, as they surprisingly couldn't run the ball. After two seasons leading the team in rushing. Kevorian Barnes really struggled this season, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. Rocko Griffin also decided to transfer after four games.
Robert Henry Jr. emerged as the lead back and home-run hitter, and Brandon High Jr. mixed in as well. Henry missed the season finale with an injury, so his status is unknown for this game.
UTSA’s should be largely at full strength on defense, a unit that was this team’s strength. The Roadrunners finished the regular season sixth in the country in Success Rate allowed.
They were especially dominant up front and terrific against the run. UTSA allowed just 3.2 yards per carry on the year, 13th in the country. This team is led by its two star linebackers, AAC Defensive Player of the Year Jimmori Robinson and first-team All-AAC Martavius French.
This was one of the best teams in the nation at getting into the opponent's backfield and creating Havoc. The Roadrunners ranked ninth in the country in sacks and finished third with 104 tackles for loss in 12 games.
Robinson finished top-10 in the country in both sacks and tackles for loss.
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Coastal Carolina and UTSA match up statistically:
Coastal Carolina Offense vs. UTSA Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 66 | 5 | |
| Line Yards | 77 | 2 | |
| Pass Success | 111 | 84 | |
| Havoc | 30 | 2 | |
| Finishing Drives | 31 | 76 | |
| Quality Drives | 79 | 73 | |
UTSA Offense vs. Coastal Carolina Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 119 | 93 | |
| Line Yards | 87 | 114 | |
| Pass Success | 69 | 94 | |
| Havoc | 70 | 112 | |
| Finishing Drives | 95 | 105 | |
| Quality Drives | 102 | 113 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 100 | 119 |
| PFF Coverage | 89 | 102 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 33 | 38 |
| Middle 8 | 65 | 40 |
| Seconds per Play | 26.4 (54) | 24.2 (20) |
| Rush Rate | 57% (35) | 49% (98) |
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Pick & Prediction
It’s hard to trust the Coastal Carolina offense at all. Beck has never been a play-caller with much innovation or creativity, and the offense stalled once he took over playcalling.
The Chanticleers have been a team that has relied on the run game all season, but that will prove to be difficult against a UTSA team that ranks second in the nation in Rush Success Rate allowed.
The Roadrunners live in their opponents' backfields and are elite at forcing tackles for loss. They should be able to pin their ears back and load the box even more with Coastal Carolina’s top two quarterbacks both in the portal, leaving them down to two quarterbacks who have never taken a college snap.
McCown has been terrific this season and should have success against a Coastal Carolina defense that was below average to begin with and now will be without its two best defensive players.
This is literally a home game for Coastal Carolina, but I actually think that will cause it to be a little flat here. Bowl games are supposed to be special trips for players to get away and bond with each other on a fun mini-vacation. UTSA gets a trip to Myrtle Beach, while Coastal Carolina is forced to stay on campus for an extra week.
UTSA is the better team, is closer to full strength, and it should be more excited to be here.
Pick: UTSA -13 or Better
Coastal Carolina vs UTSA Start Time, TV Channel, Location, How to Watch
| Location: | Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC |
| Date: | Monday, Dec. 23 |
| Kickoff Time: | 11 a.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN |
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers take on the UTSA Roadrunners in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Monday, Dec. 23 at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN.
