The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (8-1, 6-1 Sun Belt) visit the Appalachian State Mountaineers (7-2, 5-1) Friday for an 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Below, we analyze the Louisiana-Appalachian State college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Louisiana at Appalachian State: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:10 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Louisiana +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Appalachian State -139 (bet $139 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Louisiana +2.5 (-106) | Appalachian State -2.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 51.5 (O: -106 | U: -115)
Louisiana at Appalachian State: Three things to know
- The weather forecast for Boone, N.C., calls for temperatures in the low 40’s with a 60% chance of a steady rain and a slight breeze. That should make for a more ground-based attack for both sides.
- Louisiana registered a 70-20 win on the road against rival UL Monroe; it has have covered the spread in back-to-back games for the first time this season. ULL is averaging 217.3 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the nation. Defensively, the Cajuns allowed just 175.2 passing yards to rank ninth while yielding 21.9 points per game, good for 23rd in the country.
- App State registered a 47-10 win over Troy, bouncing back from a 34-23 loss at Coastal Carolina. It was a rare cover, too, as the Mountaineers entered last week’s game just 1-7 ATS. App State is seventh in the nation with 256.6 rushing yards per game, and it has allowed just 18.0 PPG to rank 15th in the country.
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Louisiana at Appalachian State: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Appalachian State 27, Louisiana 24
Money line (ML)
I expect this game to be very close, so playing APPALACHIAN STATE (-139) on the money line is the better play in the rain. The Mountaineers are 5-0 straight up 2-3 ATS in five games at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone this season, so play the money line and don’t worry about the points.
Against the spread (ATS)
APPALACHIAN STATE -2.5 (-115) is the lean here, although as mentioned above, the money line is the better play. The Mountaineers should keep this a mostly ground-based attack, even without RB Daetrich Harrington, who’s out indefinitely due to an undisclosed injury. RB Camerun Peoples has proven he is more than capable of doing the job, and he overtook Harrington as the leading rusher last week.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 51.5 (-115) is worth a small-unit play, as the two sides are strong rushing teams, and running the ball keeps the clock running. That’s always a friend to Under bettors. We mentioned App State’s backs, but ULL’s Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas have a combined 1,273 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns this season, so they’re more than capable, too. They’ll be needed in the rain.
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