The new Football Bowl Subdivision season officially gets underway on August 27 with the Sun Belt’s Georgia State Panthers hosting the Abilene Christian Wildcats of the Football Championship Subdivision.
And let’s be clear: this probably isn’t going to be what you’d call a “good” game. But it sure is college football! And that means we can watch it, enjoy it, and sure as hell bet on it as the Panthers suffered through a winless season in 2013, and will look to get off to a winning start at home against the Wildcats.
Check out how the experts think the 2014-15 NCAA college football season will play out here, and read on for our full-on preview of this FBS curtain-raiser between the Panthers and Wildcats.
[sc:”NCAAFArticles” ]Abilene Christian vs. Georgia State Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: Georgia Dome, Georgia
When: Wednesday, August 27, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Abilene Christian at Georgia State – see all NCAA Football lines
Betting on Abilene Christian
It’ll be a season of transition for Abilene Christian in 2014. Not only will it be their first season back in the Southland Conference since 1972, it’ll also be their first game without last year’s starting quarterback, John David Baker.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Baker threw for 3,376 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2013, as he led ACU to a 6-5 record and an average of 43.7 points/game in their FCS Independent schedule last season.
With Baker gone, head coach Ken Collums will turn to redshirt sophomore Parker McKenzie as his starting quarterback. McKenzie, who went a whopping 3-for-3 for 33 yards and no touchdowns in 2013, will have his work cut out for him as he will have to lead an offense that also lost three starting offensive linemen, all three starting wide receivers and its starting tailback this offseason.
With a revamped offense and passing game, Collums may have to turn to running back Herschel Sims to carry the offensive load for the Wildcats. Sims is a former Oklahoma State Cowboy who was dismissed by the team in 2012 after being found guilty of forgery. He makes his debut for the Wildcats after redshirting 2013 as a transfer from Lamar University.
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Betting on Georgia State
By all accounts, Georgia State was one of the worst schools in the entire FBS last season. The Panthers, who were only in their fourth season of existence last year, finished 0-12 and 0-7 in the Sun Belt Conference, with an average margin of defeat of almost 18 points. In the last two seasons, GSU are now 1-22 – 1-12 against the FCS and 0-10 against the FBS.
However, they did push Sun Belt champions Arkansas State all the way in a 35-33 loss – their closest loss of the season – in their second to last game.
The quarterback in that game, Ronnie Bell, will cede his starting spot this year to transfer Nick Arbuckle. Arbuckle won’t have the luxury of throwing to wide receiver Albert Wilson (71 receptions for 1,177 yards and eight touchdowns), but he’ll have the returning Robert Davis (44 catches for 711 yards and four touchdowns in 2013) as a capable target.
Arbuckle will also be playing behind an offensive line that lost four starters from an already-bad unit last season. And the defense, which gave up an average of 36.7 points and 467 yards per game, doesn’t figure to be any better, although inside linebacker Joseph Peterson (103 tackles) returns this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Abilene Christian miss their departed stars while homefield advantage proves crucial for Georgia State to notch their first win in two seasons.
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