The first betting line for next week game is out. We are a 21 point favorite.

Wow, that's high.

It seems about right to get action on both sides.

FWIW, Arky St is a 4 point favorite at Stink.

I’m thinking we’ve covered at least five in a row.

Sagarin would agree with that.

Can’t find the historical stats, but I came across this.

https://www.bigonsports.com/top-underdo ... g-history/

Sorry, can’t post as a link.

I see a 23-point opening spread. Vegas must be tired of App covering.

Yep - USA covers that, they always play us tough.

We are really good

I don't know what to make of USA being +23 dogs. They're giving up 42 PPG (though they've been blasted for 50+ twice already which skews the stat line), but they've also scored at least 30 on anyone not named Oklahoma State. This one could edge towards shootout territory, but I still like our odds in that scenario - even if we don't cover.

Bovada has it up to -24...

USA has been a "giant" killer in the Sun Belt. Upsetting Arky St & Troy. They are very athletic. Scary game.

That seems like a lot to me.

Sun belt lines from Bovada:

Troy as 14 point favorites at home over CCU.
Ark State 4 point favorites at Ga Southern
App up to 24.5 point favorites over South Alabama.
Monroe 7.5 point favorites over Ga St.

FeartheNeers wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:27 pm

I don't know what to make of USA being +23 dogs. They're giving up 42 PPG (though they've been blasted for 50+ twice already which skews the stat line), but they've also scored at least 30 on anyone not named Oklahoma State. This one could edge towards shootout territory, but I still like our odds in that scenario - even if we don't cover.

Not sure they’ve faced a defense as stout as ours

I don’t play and what I think has zero bearing on the outcome of any game. That being said I believe 21 points is a decent number. If we struggle next Saturday it’s only because we lost focus. We obviously have stepped way up with overall talent and depth. What I have seen with the next tier G5 teams (below us) are fatter, slower linemen. I haven’t seen any of our peers who have the overall speed and depth we have. Time will tell but right now this App team is very close to legit top 25. We should run this next opponent off the field.

JMappfan5 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:54 am

USA has been a "giant" killer in the Sun Belt. Upsetting Arky St & Troy. They are very athletic. Scary game.

I have to agree. I thought USA played a talented Memphis team pretty tough and didn't quit. I think the Jags' athleticism will match up well against App. If you go back to our last meeting in 2015 when the Mountaineers went 11-2, the Jags (5-7: conf 3-5) were 1 of 3 Sun Belt teams (Troy OT and stAte L) to actually put up a fight against App scoring 20 of their 27 in the 2nd half. All other conference games were 18+ point differences. I realize these are different teams now and they have a new coach, it just seems they have the horses to keep pace with App even when they aren't bowl eligible.

South Alabama will see a balanced attack on all sides of the ball, plus they will be in Kidd Brewer. This ASU team is just about as perfectly balanced as you can get on all fronts of attack as it can be. Yes they are young but they are bigger, faster and aggressive. ASU has proven that if you take the run game away from them and stick 8 in the box, then the receivers will gash you. It appears the spread is saying USA will attempt to take that away and it will back fire on them. Time will tell. But you play with fire by going one one with this receiving group. Weapons all over the place. Press coverage might work buts its a huge gamble. Ill let Big C do his thing. But the spread is saying something here.

I would say overall, they have played 4 games and a slightly stronger lineup than we have. Would have been nice to add the Southern Miss game to our games played (not that it would have changed the level of competition much). I think USA will try to be very physical with us to see if we are up for it. I think their game with Memphis could be similar to how our game will play out. I think our guys will be up to any challenge and will be prepared to exploit whatever they give us.