Coastal Carolina has been one of the better stories of the 2020 NCAA football season.

Now, they are looking to close out a historic undefeated run (11-0) here with a win over Liberty in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Boxing Day.

However, Liberty is no slouch. They finished 9-1 this season, with their lone loss coming to a solid NC State team and have two wins over Power Five programs.

Liberty’s coach Hugh Freeze is one of the most creative offensive minds out there and he’s helped by his offensive coordinator Kent Austin, who’s a familiar name for CFL fans. Freeze is rumoured to potentially be in contention for the Tennessee Volunteers head coaching job if they choose to part ways with Jeremy Pruitt, so this is a showcase game for him.

 

Liberty Flames at (12) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Saturday, December 26, 7:30pm (TSN 2)
Spread: Coastal Carolina – 7
Total: 59.5

This showcase will not be a walk in the park by any means, however, as the Chanticleers play very tough defence. Coastal Carolina has just been a fun team all season long. Whether it’s the blonde mullets or the dazzling play of quarterback Grayson McCall, this team has been must-watch football every week. They also hold two big time wins over BYU and Louisiana Lafayette. In my opinion, they should be ranked higher than No. 12 and playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl. To go along with that, they have been a cover machine all season with an 8-2-1 record ATS.  Both these teams can score but the difference is this game is going to be is the strong play of the Chants defence.

The Pick: Coastal Carolina -7

 

Players To Watch

QB Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

The freshman quarterback burst onto the scene this year as a dual-threat option, running the offence to perfection. He has 2,170 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He also effectively runs the option and adds 473 yards on the ground to go along with six touchdowns. He is very efficient with the football and plays with veteran poise despite his inexperience. McCall is a player to watch for years to come.

DE Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina

When you watch this team play, it’s hard not to notice No. 9 coming off of the edge. He leads the team with 8.5 sacks to go along with 13.5 tackles for a loss. Jackson is a senior, so this will be his last game in college and he will be looking to produce a quality final impression for NFL scouts because he is that good.

 

Canadian To Watch

LB Enock Makonzo, Coastal Carolina

The Lachine, Que., native has been a starter for the Chanticleers all season and is a disruptor at the linebacker position. He has 66 tackles to go along with two sacks and two forced fumbles. He also has an impressive nine tackles for a loss. Makonzo missed most of last season with an injury, but he’s clearly fully recovered and has been a standout all season.

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