There's a new kid on the block in the ranks of the FBS.
The Georgia Southern Eagles brought to the table an awesome triple-option attack which few were really ready for last year, and they could give some problems to the West Virginia Mountaineers as well to kick off 2015.
ODDS ANALYSIS
West Virginia is still expected to win this game against this transitioning team from FCS to FBS, but it isn't going to be easy for sure. A spread of -19 is just big enough to tell us the oddsmakers don't have a lot of confidence the Eagles can actually win this game SU, but it's just small enough for us to think that this could be a game in the fourth quarter.
The total has dipped just a bit from 60 to 56 as of Wednesday morning.
KEY MISMATCH
With Kyle Rose suspended for this game, the Mountaineers have no experience along their defensive line. That's really bad news against a triple-option team which is going to require all linemen up front to stay home and cover their gaps.
If the West Virginia defense doesn't maintain gap control and use its speed at the linebacker position to shut down the outside corners, this could be a massive upset in the making if the Eagles are playing at their best.
KEY STAT
5 – The number of receiving touchdowns which returning Mountaineers players had last season. Kevin White and Mario Alford are both gone, and with that, WVU has lost 174 receptions, 2,392 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
BETTING ANGLE
Last season, their first in FBS, the Eagles almost beat both N.C. State and Georgia Tech on the road, losing those games 24-23 and 42-38 respectively. Obviously, both games were covered with ease, and that started this team on the path to an 8-0 record in the Sun Belt.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Mountaineers have lost a lot of talent here. They're going to be counting on Skyler Howard to take over for Clint Trickett, but clearly, this wasn't a good tradeoff last season when Howard was forced to play.
Trickett completed 67.1 percent of his passes. Howard was just at 50.9 percent, though it should be noted that he wasn't picked off even once in 110 pass attempts.
Last year though, Howard had both Alford and White to work with. Now, he really doesn't have much in the way of proven receivers, and he is going to have to break in four new offensive line.
Meanwhile, Georgia Southern is just going to continue to do what it does. Yes, there are some issues along the Eagles' offensive line, and that could be a big problem when you think about running the triple option, but Kevin Ellison and Matt Breida are both back at QB and running back respectively to help out.
The spread in this game is just far too high, and we do think there's a legitimate chance this game ends in an upset. We think that the Mountaineers are going to survive, albeit just barely, and that won't help out Dana Holgorsen one bit in his quest to keep his job yet again in what amounts to be a make-or-break season for him in Morgantown.
West Virginia 31, Georgia Southern 27
BookMaker opened the spread for this Saturday game before anyone else on the internet. The West Virginia Mountaineers opened at -19 alongside a total of 60. In-game spreads, totals, moneylines and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! The battle between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the West Virginia Mountaineers will kick off Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Milan Puskar Stadium.
