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Charlie Grant
New Orleans Bowl Spread: Middle Tennessee State vs. Appalachian State Prediction
It’s been 11 years since Appalachian State shocked the world and knocked off Michigan at The Big House. The Mountaineers’ football program graduated FBS to FCS and they’re making their fourth straight bowl game appearance. They face Conference USA runner-up Middle Tennessee State in a game that will match a strong passing attack against a great passing defence.
New Orleans Bowl Odds and Betting Analysis
The Blue Raiders hosted the C-USA championship game but still fell 27-25 to UAB in the game. Middle Tennessee State finished the year 8-5 (7-1 in conference play) both straight up and against the spread. MTSU closed the campaign on a 5-1 ATS run but the team is just 1-4 against the number in its last five bowl games.
App State was the class again in the Sun Belt and the team nearly topped Penn State in Week 1 of the season. The Mountaineers won 9 of its 11 regular season games and they had little trouble with UL Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game. Appalachian State enters the New Orleans bowl with a 8-4 ATS mark on the year and a perfect 3-0 mark (2-1 ATS) in its three bowl game appearances.
Sports Interaction opened with the Mountaineers as 7-point favourites and the line is holding steady. The Over/Under for the game is staying put at 50.5 as well. About 73 percent of bettors are backing App State to cover as 7-point chalk.
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
This is the last season for senior quarterback Brent Stockstill for the Blue Raiders. Stockstill is the career-leading in most TD passes in FBS with 105 and he’s totaled more than 12,000 passing yards during his years with MTSU.
His dad, Rick, is the head coach of the program and he was candid with reporters about the short break between the end of the regular season and the New Orleans Bowl having an impact with his lineup.
“We’re beat up pretty good and could use a few extra days to get some guys healthy,” he told the New Orleans Advocate. “But that’s not the way it is.”
Appalachian State Mountaineers
The Mountaineers are another team that will be missing their head coach during the bowl season. Scott Satterfield accepted the head coaching position at Louisville and left Appalachian State after an impressive six-year run. Defensive line coach Mark Ivey will serve as the interim head coach App State in the New Orleans Bowl.
Middle Tennessee State vs Appalachian State Prediction
