by James Q
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2021Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Appalachian State Mountaineers Prediction, Odds and Preview - 12/18/2021
Game Time: 11:00 AM ET, Saturday, December 18th,, 2021
Venue: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
Where to Watch: ESPN
Opening NCAAF Odds at USA Sportsbooks
BetMGM: Spread: App State -2.5; O/U 68
Caesars: Spread: App State -2.5; O/U 68
DraftKings: Spread: App State -2.5 O/U 67
Season Record
Western Kentucky: 7-1 conf, 8-5 overall (Conference USA)
Appalachian State: 7-1 conf, 10-3 overall (Sun Belt)
You’ve waited all year… The selection process drove you nuts with anticipation… It’s Finally Here… The Boca Raton Bowl!! The definitive college football contest held in Boca Raton Florida. This Bowl Game pits the losers of the C-USA Championship game versus the losers of the Sun Belt Championship game. The WKU Hilltoppers are an underdog by less than a field goal. Still the big attraction will be to see if WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe has an outside chance of setting the CFB single-season record for touchdown passes…. If things get all squirrelly.
Al McMordie's on a 4-1 Football run after cashing his Monday Night Football Game of the Month on the Green Bay Packers. If you enjoyed that EASY WINNER, then don't miss Big Al's 100% Perfect Thursday Night College Football Elite Info Winner on ESPN. It's Appalachian State vs. Marshall, and it's backed by a 100%, 11-0 ATS angle. Get the 12th Winner in a Row right here!... Get Al’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Hilltoppers vs Mountaineers Preview and Analysis
Recent Form:
WKU is 8-5, but 9-4 ATS. They have logged 9 Overs and 4 Unders. They are 4-3 in road games… They are slotted as the road team even though this is more of a neutral site.
App State is 10-3, but 8-5 ATS. They have notched 5 Overs and 8 Unders. They are a pristine 6-0 in home games. They are listed as the home team, though this is not their home stadium.
Offensive Analysis
WKU is 2nd in the FBS in points per game with 43.1, 1st in Yards per game with 528.4 per game. They break down as 1st in all the FBS in passing yards with 434.6 per game… then 125th in rushing yards with 93.8 per game. The run game exists at WKU as a way to keep the d-backs honest in coverage. It’s a release valve.
App State is 46th in the FBS in total yards with 428.5 per game, 24th in points scored with 34.2 per game. They breakdown to 59th in passing yards and 38th in rushing yards. They are wonderfully well balanced on offense.
Defensive Analysis
On defense Western Kentucky has their work cut out for them. They are 98th in defending yardage by allowing 422.5 per game, 112th in defending passing yards, 89th in defending points by allowing 28.7
App State is practically a brick wall that WKU will have to try to run through. They are 17th in the FBS in defending yardage by allowing only 325.6 per game, 31st in pass defense, 19th in run defense. The big deal is they are 16th in the FBS in defending points by only allowing a stingy 19.3 per game.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Appalachian State Mountaineers Prediction
Our prediction for Saturday, December 18th is…. WKU 49 - App State 38
Yes, this is a prediction that WKU upsets App State and the score gets way out of control. There is an old adage in football that a great offense will trump a great defense… especially if the refs throw a dozen pass interference calls while the pass happy Hilltoppers bomb it all over the field. It will end up a track meet.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
App State is 4-2 ATS after a bye week the last 3 seasons.
App State is 1-5 ATS against Conference USA the last 3 seasons.
W Kentucky is 6-2 ATS when the line is +3 - -3 over the last 3 seasons.
W Kentucky is 4-2 ATs after a bye week the last 3 seasons.
Starting Lineups
WKU: QB Bailey Zappe, RB Noah Wittingham, WR Corey Malachi, WR Daewood Davis, WR Jerreth Sterns, LT Cole Spencer, LG Boe Wilson, OC Rusty Staats, RG Quantavious Leslie, RT Mason Brooks, TE Joey Beljan
App State: QB Chase Brice, RB Nate Noel, TE Henry Pearson, WR Thomas Hennigan, WR Corey Sutton, WR Malik Williams, LT Anderson Hardy, LG Damion Daley, OC Baer Hunter, RG Isaiah Helms, RT Cooper Hodges
Statistical Leaders
WKU
Touchdowns: Adam Cofield 4
Rushing Yards: Noah Wittingham 467
Passing Yards: Bailey Zappe 5,545 !!!
Receiving Yards: Jerreth Sterns 1718
Sacks: DeAngelo Malone 7
Interceptions: Beanie Bishop 3
App State
Touchdowns: Cameroon Peoples 14
Rushing Yards: Nate Noel 1074
Passing Yards: Chase Brice 3022
Receiving Yards: Corey Sutton 904
Sacks: Nick Hampton 10
Interceptions: Steven Jones 5
Coaches:
WKU: Tyson Helton. Coach Helton is the brother of Coach Clay Helton. He has a 22-16 record going as the head coach of Western Kentucky. He’s going to ride this offense to a bigger job soon.
App State: Shawn Clark. Coach Clark is 20-6 in his head coaching career and only has been one since 2020. He is a rising star.
James Q
About the Author:
James Q. has been involved with sports and gambling his entire life. A former division 1 scholarship basketball player, James understands sports (and especially basketball) inside-and-out. Following his basketball playing days, James parlayed his gambling skills into a semi-pro poker career. James resides in Los Angeles, and especially loves the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Rams, and Los Angeles Dodgers. And when he isn't betting on sports (and writing about it), James can be found performing stand-up comedy on the Sunset Strip.
