The Appalachian State Mountaineers are favored on Saturday night, as they take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the New Orleans Bowl on ESPN. It will be interesting to see how the Mountaineers handle this game, as head coach Scott Satterfield left for Louisville last month. Defensive line coach Mark Ivey will be the interim coach for this game. The Blue Raiders come into this game at 8-5, while the Mountaineers are 10-2. Let’s look at this game and live betting at BookMaker.eu.
This contest will take place on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 9:00 p.m. ET at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
NCAA Football Betting at BookMaker.eu
Appalachian State -6.5, O/U 50.5
Odds Analysis
The Mountaineers are laying nearly a touchdown in this contest. Appalachian State played one Power 5 teams this season and lost in overtime to Penn State early in the season. Appalachian State rolled through the Sun Belt, losing just once. The Mountaineers defeated Louisiana in the Sun Belt Conference title game.
Middle Tennessee won their first bowl game since 2009 last season, as they won the Camellia Bowl. Middle Tennessee has been really good coming off a loss, as they are 11-3 ATS and the Blue Raiders were beaten by UAB in the Conference USA title game. The Blue Raiders were a good offensive team this season, as they averaged about 29 points per game. Quarterback Brent Stockstill threw for 3,214 yards with 28 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. The Blue Raiders were okay on defense, as they gave up 25 points per game. Middle Tennessee was 8-5 ATS this season, with six games going over the total and seven going under.
Appalachian State averaged 36.7 points per game, 20th in the country. The Mountaineers rely heavily on the run, as they were 15th in the country in rushing yards per game. The Mountaineers also have a good defense, as they gave up just 15.7 points per game, 6th best in the country. Appalachian State was 8-4 ATS this season, with six games going over and six going under the total.
Interesting Fact
This will be the eighth bowl appearance for Middle Tennessee under head coach Rick Stockstill. The Blue Raiders are just 2-5 in the previous seven games.
Key Stats
The Blue Raiders are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. the Sun Belt. The Blue Raiders are 8-17-1 ATS in their last 26 games on fieldturf. The Blue Raiders are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 bowl games. The Mountaineers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games. The Mountaineers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games on fieldturf.
Looking at the total, the Over is 4-0 in the Blue Raiders last 4 games in December. The Over is 4-1 in the Mountaineers last 5 non-conference games.
Live Betting Preview
The question that has to be answered in this one is how will Appalachian State play without their head coach? I think the team will definitely miss Satterfield and I just can’t see them playing a great game without him. I think the Blue Raiders are worth playing plus the points. The great thing about live betting is that we can see how the game is going before we wade too heavily into this contest. If the Mountaineers look a bit disorganized early we should be able to confidently back Middle Tennessee plus the points. If, however, the Mountaineers look ready to play we can hedge our original bet and take Appalachian State. That is the great part about live betting in all sports. We get a chance to see how the teams look during the game and then make our bets accordingly. I like Middle Tennessee in this game and I expect I will also like them in live betting.
NCAA Football Odds: Middle Tennessee 23, Appalachian State 20
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
