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It hasn’t been a good year for the Texas State Bobcats. The Bobcats have lost five in a row and look like one of the worst teams in college football at the moment. They have given up at least 44 points in each of their last three games and their lone win on the year was against Houston Baptist, a school that only joined the ranks of the FCS three years ago. Texas State now faces the daunting task of going into Cajun Country and taking on the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns this Thursday night.
Watch this regular season Week 7 matchup live on Thursday, October 12, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana. This game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Texas State +14.5
Louisiana-Lafayette -14.5
Odds Analysis
The Ragin’ Cajuns pulled off an upset last weekend in order to notch their first FBS win of the season. They were a 6.5-point underdog to Idaho, but came into Moscow and knocked off the Vandals thanks to a solid game from quarterback Andre Nunez. It didn’t quite get the taste of defeat out of its mouth, following a loss to arch-rival Louisiana-Monroe, but helped the Ragin’ Cajuns put themselves back on a path towards bowl eligibility.
A bowl is something that’s far removed from the minds of Texas State fans after this team’s poor start. The Bobcats have one of the worst offenses in the country and a pass defense that is getting continually ripped apart. They are allowing 8.6 yards per pass play, and are putting up just a shade over 300 yards per game. It’s no wonder that they haven’t come close to covering in any of their last three games, with the closest margin of defeat being 18 points.
Player to Watch
With Jordan Davis out with an injury last week, it was Nunez who put the team on his back and helped lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a win. His numbers weren’t eye-popping in the game against Idaho, but he looked good for the second straight game. Nunez took over for Davis in the Louisiana-Monroe game two weeks ago, and almost led the team to a victory there. Unfortunately, the effort in that game wasn’t enough, but he was very effective.
Quarterback play will be essential against this Texas State defense. The Bobcats have actually been quite good at stopping the run, holding opponents to just 3.7 yards per carry. You have to beat this team through the air in order to score points on this defense, so whoever is under center for Louisiana-Lafayette must play well.
As of this post, there’s no word on who will get the nod, but don’t be shocked if Nunez continues to see the bulk of the action. The team has responded well with him in the lineup, and coach Mark Hudspeth may not want to make a change.
Key Stat
Texas State has not been good on offense this season. Head coach Everett Withers wants to run the ball, but the Bobcats have been dreadful in that department this year. Through six games, they have only picked up 789 yards on the ground and are averaging a paltry 3.2 yards per carry. Quarterback Damian Williams has been unable to move the ball through the air either, throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns this year. You can move the ball on this defense, but the Bobcats have not shown an ability to do that all year.
Free ATS Pick
Lafayette is one of the more underrated home field advantages in the lower tier of college football. The Ragin’ Cajuns averaged over 20,000 fans last season and have the largest stadium in the conference. They will be roaring on Thursday night in a nationally televised game, and that will be the difference in a big Louisiana-Lafayette win.
College Football Odds: Louisiana-Lafayette 48, Texas State 24
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