Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Toledo Rockets Preview
Where: Cramton Bowl – Montgomery, AL
When: Saturday, December 17, 2016, 5:30 PM ET
Line: Appalachian State (+1.5) vs. Toledo Rockets (-1.5); total: 57.5 – view all NCAA Football odds and lines
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Betting on the Appalachian State Mountaineers (+1.5)
The Mountaineers finished the regular season 9-3 (6-6 ATS), good for first place in the Sun Belt conference. This will be the team’s second consecutive appearance in the Camellia Bowl – they won last year over the Ohio Bobcats, 31-29.
Defense has been the strength of head coach Scott Satterfield’s boys. Led by seniors Antonious Sims (11 tackles for loss and six sacks) and Dezmin Reed (7.5 TFLs and six sacks), and sensational freshman Clifton Duck (a team-leading five INTs), the Mountaineers are only allowing 4.8 yards per play (first in the conference and 13th in the nation).
They are also one of the leaders in giving up the fewest points (17 PPG, ranked seventh) and total yards (326.5 YPG, ranked 15th) in all of college football. During the season, six teams failed to score more than 10 points opposite App State’s D.
On offense, they can’t be pushed around too. Taylor Lamb is only putting up 180.1 YPG (14-8 TD-INT ratio), but he doesn’t really have to do a lot since they have a reliable man on the backfield in Jalin Moore, who has 1,367 yards on 6.2 yards per carry, along with 10 TD runs.
Betting on the Toledo Rockets (-1.5)
Comparing them to App State, Toledo is towards the other end of the spectrum of football schemes, as they are a very offense-minded group, making this matchup fascinating.
With Logan Woodside under center, the Rockets own one of the most prolific passing games in the country. The junior is throwing for 323.5 YPG and has a nation-leading 43 TD tosses, with only nine picks.
As a result of the high-octane aerial attack, three of the team’s receivers have 10 or more TDs, namely TE Michael Roberts, and WRs Cody Thompson and Jon’Vea Johnson. The tight end is pacing the team with 15 scores through the air, while the two wideouts each have 10 and are gaining 19.8 yards per catch.
Kareem Hunt will remain as a threat from the backfield. He has 1,355 yards and eight TDs this season, and is fresh off a 200-yard performance against the undefeated Western Michigan Broncos.
Through the production of the offense, the Rockets are fourth overall in total yards (529.8 YPG) and 18th in scoring (38.8 PPG). They also have an average winning margin of 21.1 points.
Writer’s Prediction
Toledo (-1.5) wins 45-32.
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