The West Virginia Mountaineers and Maryland Terrapins will meet Saturday in the season opener at Maryland Stadium in College Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the West Virginia at Maryland odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Mountaineers meet the Terrapins for the 53rd time, and first time since a 45-6 win over Maryland in Morgantown, W.Va., Sept. 26, 2015. The Mountaineers have a slight edge in the series, 28-22-2, but they have won nine of the past 10 meetings.
The Terrapins have some question marks in the run game, but a familiar name is back to lead the pass game. QB Taulia Tagovailoa (the brother of Tua Tagovailoa) could help the Terps put up big totals, and he is helped by a solid receiving corps, too. The Achilles’ heel of UMD might be its inability to stop the run as they allowed 230.0 yards per game in 2020. The run D needs to be much, much better, or else.
West Virginia at Maryland odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Money line: West Virginia -150 (bet $150 to win $100) | Maryland +122 (bet $100 to win $122)
- Against the spread (ATS): West Virginia -2.5 (-120) | Maryland +2.5 (+100)
- Over/Under (O/U): 56.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
West Virginia at Maryland odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
West Virginia 34, Maryland 30
Money line
WEST VIRGINIA (-150) is a decent play in this road outing as it looks to maintain its mystery against rival Maryland (+122). The Mountaineers have some question marks under center as they need more consistency from QB Jarret Doege.
However, West Va. is the play because of the presence of RB Leddie Brown. He galloped for 1,010 yards last season, while the Terps were trampled in the run game. That’s going to be the difference.
Against the spread
WEST VIRGINIA -2.5 (-120) is worth a look, although play it lightly. This game won’t get out of hand and should be a one-score game. While these teams haven’t played in a while, West Virginia is 7-2 ATS across the past nine meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the past five trips to College Park.
Over/Under
OVER 56.5 (-110) might be the most certain thing on the board. The Mountaineers like to run the ball, and the Terps struggle to stop the run. That’s good for Over bettors. In addition, the ability to get to the QB is a concern West Virginia, but that’s good news for Tagovailoa and the Maryland pass attack. This one has the potential to be a barnburner.
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Joe Williams on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]