2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl Preview: Old Dominion vs. Tulsa

The Old Dominion Monarchs picked a very unusual path to a bowl game. We’ll explain that point below. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane did well to return to a bowl game this season, and they have a point to prove in this game. There are some unconventional storylines heading into a game which will be played on the Monday afternoon before Christmas. It’s not the most romantic or classic setting for a bowl game, but the two teams have every reason to go all-out when they take the field.

Old Dominion Monarchs vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Date: Monday, December 20th, 2:30 PM ET

Location: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC

CFB Odds: Tulsa -9.5

Old Dominion Monarchs

The Monarchs did not seem very likely to make a bowl game midway through the season. They were 1-5 through six games in their 12-game journey. They lost again to fall to 1-6. Yet, when everything seemed lost, Old Dominion rallied with five consecutive victories to reach a 6-6 mark and attain bowl eligibility. It was a tale of two seasons for this team. After splitting the first two games, ODU endured a five-game losing streak. The Monarchs were blown out by Liberty and Western Kentucky, and they lost a one-point game to Buffalo plus two other tight games to UTEP and Marshall. At 1-6, Old Dominion was losing games by large and small margins. In some games its defense cratered. In other games, its offense got stymied and didn’t hold up its end of the bargain.

Yet, from the rubble of that five-game losing streak, Old Dominion bounced back. Five straight wins gave ODU a postseason opportunity, the biggest win being against Louisiana Tech, a team which was expected to do well in the preseason back in August, and which almost upset SMU this year. By managing to get past Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion changed the mood in its locker room and used that transformation to reorient the trajectory of its season. A 24-17 win over Middle Tennessee lifted the Monarchs to a 5-6 record. They then defeated Charlotte 56-34 to clinch a bowl-eligible position. This five-game season-ending winning streak speaks to Old Dominion’s resilience.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane played Cincinnati in the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship Game. The Golden Hurricane knew they were losing important players this year, so it was asking too much to contend for another conference title. Tulsa did well to regroup and make its way back to a bowl game.

Tulsa had a rough schedule in 2021. The Golden Hurricane played Oklahoma State, which nearly won the Big 12 championship. Tulsa played Ohio State, AAC runner-up Houston, and College Football Playoff-bound Cincinnati. The only especially bad loss of Tulsa’s season was a loss to UC Davis, and that came in Week 1 of the season. For the most part, Tulsa took care of business against inferior opponents and lost to undeniably better foes this year.

Outlook

These teams are both 6-6, but Tulsa did so in the AAC, whereas Old Dominion did so in Conference USA. Tulsa also lost to a three-win Mississippi State team in its bowl game last year. That should properly motivated the Golden Hurricane to win this game.

Monarchs vs. Golden Hurricane Prediction:

Golden Hurricane 23, Monarchs 17