Two of the more intriguing Group of Five programs in the country square off in a standalone college football matchup on Thursday. The Marshall Thundering Herd travel to North Carolina to face the Appalachian State Mountaineers in a must-see matchup. Marshall is 2-1 on the season after a disappointing defeat to East Carolina last week. Appalachian State is also 2-1 in 2021, with the only defeat coming by two points on the road against Miami (FL).
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Boone, N.C. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Mountaineers as seven-point favorites at home, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 59.5 in the latest Marshall vs. Appalachian State odds. Before making any Appalachian State vs. Marshall picks, check out the college football predictions from SportsLine’s Emory Hunt.
Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007, and a former running back at Louisiana-Lafayette. He knows the game from a player’s perspective.
Hunt went 178-149 on his college football picks over the past two seasons, returning $1,477 to $100 players. In addition, Hunt is an outstanding 9-2 on his last 11 picks involving Appalachian State, returning nearly $700 for $100 bettors on those picks. Anybody who has been following his college football picks is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on Marshall vs. App. State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for App. State vs. Marshall:
- Marshall vs. Appalachian State spread: Appalachian State -7
- Marshall vs. Appalachian State over-under: 59.5 points
- Marshall vs. Appalachian State money line: App. State -290, Marshall +235
- MAR: The Thundering Herd are 6-7 against the spread in the last 13 games
- APP: The Mountaineers are 5-10 against the spread in the last 15 games
Featured Game | Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Marshall Thundering Herd
Why Marshall can cover
Marshall’s offense has been tremendous this season, starting with a 49-point explosion against Navy. The Thundering Herd are No. 2 in the country in total offense, generating 604.7 total yards per game, and they are generating 43.7 points per game, ranking No. 2 in Conference USA. Marshall has been efficient and productive through the air, averaging 418.7 passing yards per game and 9.5 yards per pass attempt. The Thundering Herd are also very good at protecting the quarterback, allowing only two sacks in three games.
On the ground, Marshall is effective, averaging 186 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. The Thundering Herd are also putting consistent pressure on the end zone, leading the conference in rushing touchdowns (13) and ranking in the top three in the country in the same stat. Even in last week’s loss to East Carolina, Marshall was able to move the ball and dent the scoreboard consistently on the way to 38 points, and this is a talented offense led by Grant Wells at the quarterback spot.
Why Appalachian State can cover
Appalachian State is a well-rounded, effective squad, and the Mountaineers have been impressive through three games. While the Mountaineers did suffer a narrow loss, it came on the road against a strong foe in Miami, and Appalachian State looked the part of a top-flight team in that matchup. Offensively, the Mountaineers are a top-three team in the Sun Belt in scoring (33.3 points per game), total offense (446.3 yards per game) and rushing offense (180.0 yards per game), and they are producing 8.9 yards per pass attempt and 4.8 yards per carry on the ground.
Defensively, Appalachian State is a top-three unit in the Sun Belt in total defense (349 yards allowed per game), scoring defense (18 points allowed per game), and rushing defense (109 yards allowed per game), and they are holding opponents to only 3.5 yards per rush attempt. Head coach Shawn Clark should have his team prepared, and they are lights-out in their own backyard in Boone.
How to make Marshall vs. Appalachian State picks
Hunt is leaning under on the total. He’s also found a critical x-factor he believes makes one side of the spread hit hard. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Marshall vs. Appalachian State? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the expert who has crushed his college football picks, and find out.
