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The Appalachian State Mountaineers enter into Saturday’s game against the Marshall Thundering Herd ranked No. 23 in the country. Both teams are coming off double-digit victories and looking to improve to 2-0 early in the 2020 college football season.
Appalachian State opened its season with a home win over a pesky Charlotte team. The Mountaineers led by just one score before adding on a touchdown late. Appy significantly outgained Charlotte 512 yards to 286, led by a pair of running backs who reached the 100-yard mark. Marcus Williams Jr. rushed for 117 yards on 14 carries, and Camerun Peoples added 102 yards on 13 carries. If the Mountaineers can gain ground yards like that, Saturday should not be an issue.
The Thundering Herd opened their season with a 59-0 victory over FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky. It’s tough to take too much away from that game but quarterback Grant Wells played well, completing 16 of 23 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns, and spreading the ball around to plenty of weapons. Marshall was scheduled to play East Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 12, but the game was postponed due to coronavirus concerns.
These two teams haven’t played each other since 2002, a 50-17 win for Marshall.
Game Time/TV Channel/Streaming
Saturday’s game will start at 3:30 p.m. ET at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The game will be aired on CBS.
Point Spread, Totals, Odds, Trends
Point spread: Appalachian State (-4) vs. Marshall
Point Total: O/U 59.5 (-110)
Money line: Appalachian State (-182), Marshall (+150)
- Appalachian State is 7-0 straight up in its last seven road games.
- Marshall is 5-0 straight up in its last five home games.
- Marshall is 6-12 against the spread in its last 18 games.
The Best Bet
Appalachian State is not getting nearly enough respect with this point spread. The Mountaineers won the Sun Belt in each of their last four seasons and are coming off a 13-win season, winning their fifth bowl game in a row and they’ve only been eligible for bowl games for the last five years. This is a program that built a culture of winning and while Marshall is a solid Conference USA team, it is not at the level of Appalachian State right now. Let’s go with the favorites on the road.
Pick: Appalachian State -4
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