The 2024 FBS college football bowl season begins on Saturday with the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

The South Alabama Jaguars out of the Sun Belt square off with the Western Michigan Broncos from the MAC.

Saturday’s contest in Montgomery, Alabama kicks off a three-week whirlwind slate of games that includes the start of the 12-team College Football Playoff next weekend.

Both South Alabama and Western Michigan lost one key player to the transfer portal, but unlike other bowl-game rosters, they are not as decimated by transfers and injuries.

Salute to Veterans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Money Line: South Alabama (-325; bet $325 to win $100); Western Michigan (+250; bet $100 to win $250)

South Alabama and Western Michigan each needed wins in late November to secure bowl eligibility.

Western Michigan secured its bowl berth on the last weekend of the regular season, while South Alabama did so the week prior.

Western Michigan’s bowl qualification process was a bit surprising because it started the season 5-3. The Broncos started MAC play on a four-game winning streak in which they scored at least 34 points in each game.

The Broncos offense fizzled out from that point, as they produced four straight point totals of 28 or less to conclude the regular season.

South Alabama didn’t win more than two games in a row, but it did participate in some exciting games throughout its Sun Belt schedule.

The Jaguars played in three conference games in which the winning team eclipsed the 40-point mark and finished the season with four 30-plus-point performances in the final five games.

South Alabama’s progress under freshman quarterback Gio Lopez makes it the more exciting team going into the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

Lopez threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns. He ran for 465 yards and seven touchdowns as well.

Lopez will be the focal point of the ground and air attacks for USA since star running back Fluff Bothwell hit the transfer portal. Bothwell ran for 832 yards and 13 scores this season.

Western Michigan has one of the worst rushing defenses in the FBS, so if Bothwell’s replacements and Lopez are able to run, the game can open up in South Alabama’s favor.

The Broncos will be without tight end Blake Bosma, who led the team with six touchdown catches.

Western Michigan can still move the ball through quarterback Hayden Wolff, but its red-zone execution might be lacking without Bosma.

South Alabama should be favored because of its recent run of offensive production, and if the trends from the last month hold, the Jaguars should kick off bowl season with a comfortable win.

Prediction: South Alabama (-8.5)