Category: Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern vs South Alabama Prediction, Game Preview

Georgia Southern vs South Alabama prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern vs South Alabama prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern vs South Alabama Broadcast

Date: Thursday, October 29
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Allen E. Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, GA
Network: ESPN

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Georgia Southern (3-2) vs South Alabama (3-2) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on college football, go to BetMGM

Why Georgia Southern Will Win

The Eagles have been fantastic at controlling the block, controlling games, and handling the tempo by owning third downs on both sides of the ball. It’s been holding on to the ball for a Sun Belt-high 33:42 a game.

South Alabama likes to try controlling the game on its own and dominate the clock, but that’s not happening against this rushing game.

The Jaguars have a fantastic run defense – more on that in a moment – and the numbers will show it, but it only faced one offense that’s remotely like they’re going to see when they walk into Allen E. Paulson, and that was the Tulane attack run by former Georgia Southern head man Willie Fritz.

Tulane was the only team to run for over 200 yards and five yards per carry against South Alabama, and it won.

– CFN Experts Picks: College

Why South Alabama Will Win

Will the Georgia Southern running game be able to work?

It didn’t get going last week against Coastal Carolina, and the Eagles lost. It failed to hit 200 yards against Louisiana, and it was a tight 20-18 loss. The Eagles hit well over 200 yards – over 300 in two of the games – in the other three games and won them all.

South Alabama has allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards in three of the five games – won them all – and allowed over 200 just once. The defensive isn’t great at getting into the backfield, but it’s an active bunch that’s great at getting around the ball. Combine that, with an efficient passing game, and the Jaguars can control the game.

– CFN Experts Picks: NFL

What’s Going To Happen

The South Alabama defense will keep this close throughout the first half, but Georgia Southern will do a better job of controlling the game, it’ll own third downs, and it’ll have a good enough game in the secondary to get past the loss to Coastal Carolina and get back in the Sun Belt chase.

– Week 9 College Football Schedule, Predictions

Georgia Southern vs South Alabama Prediction, Line

Georgia Southern 30, South Alabama 24
Bet on Georgia Southern vs South Alabama with BetMGM
Georgia Southern -4, o/u: 51
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

Must See Rating: 2.5

5: Halloween (either Siouxsie and the Banshees or Ministry version)
1: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

CFN 1-127 Rankings | Bowl Projections
20 Most Important College Football Thoughts Ever
Week 9 College Football Schedule

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Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern Prediction, Game Preview

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs Georgia Southern Eagles prediction and game preview.

Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern prediction and game preview.

Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 24
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Network: ESPNU

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Coastal Carolina (4-0) vs Georgia Southern (3-1) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on college football, go to BetMGM

Why Georgia Southern Will Win

That’s the Georgia Southern running game we all know and love.

It was great throughout last season on the way to a bowl appearance, but it failed to hit the 300-yard mark over the last five games and didn’t get there over the first two games this year. The virus had a lot to do with the team being inconsistent, but now it’s starting to roll.

340 yards against ULM, 309 against UMass, and … okay, so those might be the two worst teams playing college football’s but the Eagles are warmed up and rolling again.

Unlike last year, Georgia Southern is great on third downs and is amazing at controlling the clock, keeping the ball for a nation-leading 35:12 a game.

Why Coastal Carolina Will Win

The Chanticleer offensive balance is terrific, and Georgia Southern doesn’t quite have the defensive front line to handle it.

On the year the Coastal Carolina O has thrown for 930 yards and ran for 807,  it has owned third downs – it’s third in the nation converting 60% of the time – and it’s connecting on the downfield throws. Grayson McCall is averaging close to 11 yards per throws with just one interception so far. He’s going to press the Eagle defense from the start.

What’s Going To Happen

The Coastal Carolina season has been fantastic so far, but it got hit by both Campbell and Louisiana for over 200 yards on the ground. Can it handle the option attack that’s coming? Sort of, but Georgia Southern can’t handle the offensive balance of the Chanticleers.

The Eagle secondary just isn’t good enough to hold up as the top 25 Coastal Carolina team keeps rolling along as the new star of the Sun Belt.

Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern Prediction, Line

Coastal Carolina 37, Georgia Southern 23
Bet on Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern with BetMGM
Coastal Carolina -5.5, o/u: 51.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 4

Must See Rating: 3

5: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
1: Hubie Halloween

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Sun Belt Blesses ESPN With More (Potentially) Great Mid-Week Football Content

The Appalachian State Mountaineers take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Thursday night, as if we deserve it. Contact @astatefanrules This paragraph was going to be a charmingly clever introduction to the meaty football feast that is the …

The Appalachian State Mountaineers take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Thursday night, as if we deserve it. 

Contact @astatefanrules

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This paragraph was going to be a charmingly clever introduction to the meaty football feast that is the Mountaineers versus the Red Wolves tonight on ESPN, but my colleague Rex Steele summed it up best:

Coming in Hot: The Red Wolves

Arkansas State is coming off two offensively volcanic wins, totaling 109 points and 1,124 total yards. The Red Wolves also implemented a bit of “momentum by subtraction” in firing defensive coordinator David Duggan, whose defense schemes were simply yielding too many points. Look for the defense to receive an adrenaline injection in support of interim DC Nick Paremski.

Coming in Chilly: The Mountaineers

Appalachian State hasn’t played a snap of competitive football since September 26, when they conducted some business against Campbell (52-21). The Mountaineers have a victory over Charlotte in addition to Campbell, but those programs are a combined 1-6. In a loss to Marshall, Appalachian State managed a mere seven points – albeit against a very tough Herd defense. It’s difficult to measure the Mountaineers under new head coach Shawn Clark. Thursday will reveal much.

Dumb Observation

This will be the third game for the Red Wolves facing a team that, at some point this season, boasted an AP Top 25 ranking – Kansas State, Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State.

Zack Thomas vs “Logan Hatcher”

Mountaineers QB Zack Thomas was named preseason Sun Belt Offensive POY after a massively huge 2019 campaign (2,700 yards, 28 TDs), but he has yet to fully unload in 2020. Over in Jonesboro, the law firm of Logan Bonner & Layne Hatcher is tearing apart opposing secondaries, combining for 1,834 yards and 21 TDs in just five games. NOTE: the Mountaineers’ defense is only allowing 167 yards per contest.

Crystal Balls

The Mountaineers make my crystal balls murky. They’re like a science experiment: what effect does a month of football inertia have on the human body? Appalachian State could bounce into Kidd Brewer will rested and fully prepared for sixty minutes of pigskin. But experience tells me they are more likely to struggle with atrophy early on. If the Red Wolves can strike early and often, look for an upset in Boone.

 

A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space. 

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The Sun Belt is Winning the ESPN Football Game

The Sun Belt is Winning the ESPN Football Game Contact @astatefanrules When presented with a national TV opportunity, as the Sun Belt has this year with an abundance of slots on ESPN, the pressure to entertain is a very real thing. After all, …

The Sun Belt is Winning the ESPN Football Game

Contact @astatefanrules

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When presented with a national TV opportunity, as the Sun Belt has this year with an abundance of slots on ESPN, the pressure to entertain is a very real thing. After all, college programs are also television programs. Bad ratings will get you canceled quicker than the last season of ALF. Your choices are 1) amuse the masses, or 2) stagger through the Phantom Zone of ESPN Plus.

This stupid COVID season, the Sun Belt has delivered the goods, starting will national televised gridiron dramas against Kansas State, Kansas and Iowa State, and continuing with this week’s mid-season offering of in-conference donnybrooks.

Wednesday’s battle on ESPN2 between undefeated Coastal Carolina and #21 Louisiana lived up to its billing – two top tier Sun Belt teams throwing hands! The result? An excellent, well-played 30-27 football game won on a last-second field goal from the conference’s exciting up-and-comer, Chanticleers.

The next night, ESPN aired Arkansas State vs. Georgia State, a pair of programs that piles on points. Again, ESPN audiences were treated to a spectacle – a hootenanny of offense that pushed ESPN into the realm of delivering fake news.

Though not even the final score – 59-52 – was a Sun Belt record for highest scoring game, it was still some damn fine TV, culminating in a classic Blake Anderson trick play to seal the winning score for Arkansas State.

The point is, Sun Belt football is a brand whose stock is rising. While COVID-19 has disrupted our lives – with shockingly deadly consequences – the Sun Belt has made the most of an awful situation by providing quality content for a nation starving for quality content.

Except for ULM, that is. What the hell, Warhawks?

A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space.

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Arkansas State Out-Slugs Georgia State 59-52

Defense wasn’t even optional on Thursday night in the Arkansas State win over Georgia State.

Defense wasn’t even optional on Thursday night.

Contact @astatefanrules

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In a game that was mostly without defensive stops, the Red Wolves only needed one. Georgia State, who needed five yards on fourth down, opted for a deep pass only to be thwarted by Samy Johnson at the goal line.

Turnover on downs, and Arkansas State emerged victory in a game that saw 13 total touchdowns

The Panthers, without RB Destin Coates RB and WR Cornelius McCoy, still had plenty of firepower, totaling 583 yards and 52 points. It was not enough. Layne Hatcher, Logan Bonner and special guest star Rashauud Paul passed for 551 yards and 8 TDs and the Red Wolves won 59-52.

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Sun Belt Predictions, Schedule, Game Previews, Lines, TV: Week 7

Sun Belt college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 7 of the season.

Sun Belt college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 7 of the season.

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Results So Far
SU: 21-7, ATS: 11-14, Point Total: 18-7

Click on each game for game preview & prediction

Wednesday, October 14

Coastal Carolina at Louisiana

Line: Louisiana -9.5, o/u: 58.5
Prediction: Louisiana 30, Coastal Carolina 23
Final Score: Coastal Carolina 30, Louisiana 27

Thursday, October 15

Georgia State at Arkansas State

7:30 ESPN
Line: Arkansas State -3, o/u: 72
– Bet on this at BetMGM

[lawrence-related id=520788]

Saturday, October 17

Texas State at South Alabama

12:00 ESPNU
Line: South Alabama -2.5, o/u: 58
– Bet on this at BetMGM

UMass at Georgia Southern

4:00 ESPNU
Line: Georgia Southern -31, o/u: 63
– Bet on this at BetMGM

Eastern Kentucky at Troy

7:00 ESPN3
Line: Troy -28, o/u: 60.5
– Bet on this at BetMGM

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Georgia Southern vs UMass Prediction, Game Preview

Georgia Southern Eagles vs UMass Minutemen prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern vs UMass prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern vs UMass Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 17
Game Time: 4:00 ET
Venue: Allen E. Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, GA
Network: ESPN2

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Georgia Southern (2-1) vs UMass (0-0) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on college football, go to BetMGM

Why UMass Will Win

After a disastrous 2019, what should work for a UMass team that’s just getting started?

The offensive line is full of veterans and has enough size to be able to provide a wee bit of a push. Pass protection was a major problem, but the receiving corps is in play to be a problem for a Georgia Southern defense that’s giving up close to 300 passing yards per game.

Can the Minutemen slow down the Eagle running game? A whole lot of defensive parts are back, the experience is there to see a bit of an instant improvement, and there’s been a whole lot of time to prepare for what’s coming.

– CFN Experts Picks: NFL

Why Georgia Southern Will Win

The Eagles are getting the ground game working like they need it to. It’s not controlling the clock, but it’s coming off a 340-yard rushing day in the win over ULM, the defense is doing a decent job of taking the ball away, and after three games, it’s going to be in football shape and UMass won’t be.

UMass has to do a whole lot to be night-and-day better than it was last year on the lines. The defense was among the worst in the nation, allowing 320 rushing yards or more in five of the last six games.

– CFN Experts Picks: College Football

What’s Going To Happen

UMass is going to need a while to get everything going. It’s not going to be pretty against a Georgia Southern team that’s had a hard time in three tight battles to start the season. The Eagle running game should blow past 300 yards in an easy win.

Georgia Southern vs UMass Prediction, Line

Georgia Southern 45, UMass 20
Bet on Georgia Southern vs UMass with BetMGM
Georgia Southern -31.5, o/u: 63
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1

Must See Rating: 2

5: The Right Stuff (1983 movie version)
1: The Right Stuff (2020 TV version)

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Sun Belt Plays Three Surprisingly Important Games This Weekend

The Sun Belt slate looks light, but the ramifications are very heavy.

The Sun Belt slate looks light, but the ramifications are very heavy.

Contact @astatefanrules

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The Silly Season of COVID-19 has not only made everything stupid, but has also made every game vitally important. Who knows when you’ll play again? Or if? The forecast is murky with a 100% chance of something’s gonna screw everything up. And it doesn’t even have to be a pandemic.

For example, Hurricane Delta has postponed the conference’s marquee match-up between Louisiana and Coastal Carolina, two 3-0 teams that, quite frankly, are fun to watch. That leaves us three games for Saturday. On the surface, none look especially appetizing.

Luckily, Sun Belt Heat digs deep beneath the surface! As it turns out, every Sun Belt team playing on Saturday is in a must win situation. That alone is reason enough to shovel a load of coal into your ESPN3 machine.

ULM @ Liberty, 11:00 AM on ESPN2

I guess we have Hugh Freeze to thank for this national TV placement, because not even the most coked-out media buyer would spend a cent on the Warhawks this season. Matt Viator’s team is winless and punchless, averaging a measly 15 points per contest.

WHY THE GAME IS ESSENTIAL: Viator (and maybe everybody in Monroe) is coaching for his job right now, and the Warhawks are among the few SBC programs without a solid OOC showing. A win over Liberty isn’t exactly a win over LSU, but ULM is desperate for something to go right this season.

Texas State @ Troy, 2:30 on ESPN3

What to make of either of these teams? The last we saw the Bobcats, they had Boston College on the ropes, only to see their two-touchdown lead disappear late in the game. Last we checked in on Troy, they were being obliterated by BYU. Both might be better than their records, but I don’t really know.

WHY THE GAME IS ESSENTIAL: The Trojans felt pretty good about themselves after smashing Middle Tennessee. Now they probably question the very nature of their existence. Same can be said for the Bobcats, who are much improved and yet still losing games. Whoever wins gets a jolt of self-worth.

Central Arkansas @ Arkansas State, 3:30 on ESPN3

Between a long COVID-19 layoff, the Red Wolves went from Wildcat killer to chicken feed thanks to a shellacking from Coastal Carolina. Now they host UCA, ranked 11th in the FCS and the author of Arkansas State’s ultimate misery – a 28-23 loss in 2016 that haunts the Red Wolves every waking, sleeping, and drunken moment.

WHY THE GAME IS ESSENTIAL: Everybody likes an in-state donnybrook, and the Red Wolves have a big fat purple bear to get off their backs. A second loss to UCA would be viewed quite dimly in Jonesboro. Quite. Dimly.

A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space.

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Georgia Southern vs ULM Prediction, Game Preview

Georgia Southern Eagles vs ULM Warhawks prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern Eagles vs ULM Warhawks prediction and game preview.

Georgia Southern vs ULM Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 3rd
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Malone Stadium, Monroe, LA
Network: ESPN+

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Georgia Southern (1-1) vs ULM (0-3) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on college football, go to BetMGM

Why Georgia Southern Will Win

ULM has been a total disaster.

The Warhawks aren’t getting enough offensively – coming up with 200 yards or fewer in two of the three games – but the real problem is a defense that’s not getting off the field and can’t stop the run.

The defensive front isn’t generating any pressure, and it’s getting hammered allowing 788 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in three games, giving up 5.3 yards per carry.

Yeah, but the Army game is in there – that offense always skews everyone’s run D stats. But that’s what Georgia Southern does.

The Eagle aren’t as strong on the ground as the Knights, but it’s been on so far with 476 rushing yards in the first two games, and the passing attack showed up against Louisiana.

– CFN Experts Picks: NFL

Why ULM Will Win

The Warhawks have to open it up a bit more.

The passing game hasn’t been too bad – it’s hitting 65% of its chances – and as long as the turnovers stop after giving it up five times so far, it’s going to start staying in games.

Converting a third down try would be nice.

ULM was 0-of-11 against UTEP and is converting just 21% of the time on the year. Teams are converting on close to 46% of their chances against the Georgia Southern defense.

– CFN Experts Picks: College Football

What’s Going To Happen

ULM just isn’t scoring enough.

Georgia Southern struggled through the first few games after suffering coronavirus issues, but it was still able to push a great Louisiana team. ULM might be at home, but it’s still not going to get the offense going enough to offset the 275 rushing yards from the Georgia Southern O.

Georgia Southern vs ULM Prediction, Line

Georgia Southern 34, ULM 20
Bet on Georgia Southern vs ULM with BetMGM
Georgia Southern -20.5, o/u: 49.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

Must See Rating: 2

5: ANYTHING else
1: THAT debate

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That Was Quick: Cajuns Dissed By Polls

Once again, the AP Top 25 proved that its name and not deeds that determine who receives the spoils in college football. Contact @astatefanrules It was as predictable as a Jean Claude Van Damme movie. The moment the Big Ten and SEC entered the fray, …

Once again, the AP Top 25 proved that its name and not deeds that determine who receives the spoils in college football.

Contact @astatefanrules

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It was as predictable as a Jean Claude Van Damme movie. The moment the Big Ten and SEC entered the fray, the programs that have actual games on their resumes were punted to the sideline. Among them, a 3-0 Cajuns team that had two conference wins and had vanquished ballyhooed Iowa State in Ames. That meant zilch to the AP Top 25.

This week, there are more winless teams (5) on the poll than 3-0 teams (congrats, Miami). Experience means nothing. The “eye-test” is rigged. Justice is a theoretical construct. Reality is a matter of who controls the perspective.

Struggles with Georgia State and Georgia Southern didn’t help the Cajuns cause, even though both of those teams are better than projected. But the AP and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll are exposed as brand toadies interested only in propping the usual blue-bloods of the college football elite.

COVID Continues to Punch All The Nuts

The Sun Belt features a fragile handful of rivalry games, and COVID-19 doesn’t care. Troy vs. South Bama, the legendary Battle of The Belt, has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

Troy and South Alabama are both coming off brutal, humiliating, emasculating blowout losses, so maybe we were spared some bad football. Meanwhile, Week 5 has four Sun Belt teams left standing, with Arkansas State and Georgia State both coming off Covid cancelations. Cross your fingers, Belters.

Is Matt Viator Losing It At Monroe?

Darth Viator is 19-32 as head coach for the Warhawks and hasn’t had much luck since going 6-6 in 2017. Glory isn’t something one seeks at ULM, but surely the athletic department brass was expecting some of Viator’s success at McNeese to follow him to Monroe. Viator, whose Warhawks enter the season 0-3 while scoring a pitiful 10 points per contest, signed a 2-year extension in June with a very modest $175,000 buyout.

Viator’s seat is getting hot.

Damn You, Texas State

The Bobcats had a sweet 21-7 third quarter lead over Boston College last weekend, prompting me to make an insane bargain:

Texas State preferred to remain boobs, allowing Boston College to win the game on a last second field goal. All three of the Boobcats’ losses have been 7 points or fewer.

What Do We Make of Troy?

Both of Troy’s games have been blowouts, with the Trojans having experienced both ends. Middle Tennessee isn’t very good, and BYU is very good. But it was hard to overlook how miserable the Troy defense performed against the Cougar’s pass attack, or how ineffectual QB Gunner Watson seemed behind center. Is Troy really set to challenge Appalachian State?

Arkansas State vs. Coastal Carolina Might Be A Good Game If It’s Actually Played

The Red Wolves experienced its second consecutive COVID cancelation last weekend, granting Coach Blake Anderson plenty of time to study Chanticleer film. What he likely saw was a team that can run you right off the gridiron. QB Grayson McCall tossed a trio of TDs against Kansas, giving Coastal another wrinkled for the Red Wolves defense to worry about. Look to see big numbers at Centennial Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space. 

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