App State football and Georgia Southern square off for Sun Belt East supremacy. Can the Mountaineers win on Thursday and stay in the Top 25 another week?
Appalachian State found itself above the cut line in the AP Top 25 after Week 8, as the 6-1 Mountaineers ended the week at No. 25 in the poll. Scott Satterfield’s team sits in a three-way tie atop the Sun Belt East standings, in the first year of the conference breaking into two divisions.
The Mountaineers have gotten it done with both offense and defense. App State ranks fifth in points scored per game, averaging nearly 45 on the scoreboard each outing. When their opponents have the ball, the Mountaineers defense boasts top-25 units against both the run and the pass. As a result, Appalachian State gives up only 15.7 points per game, putting them 11th in scoring defense.
Their hosts on Thursday, Georgia Southern, are no slouch. The Eagles are right alongside App State in the standings, 3-0 in Sun Belt play and with only one loss overall as well. While Troy and the Mountaineers have received more press, the Eagles have quietly played their way into Sun Belt contention as well.
A big part of Georgia Southern’s success this season has been their ball control. The Eagles are the only team left in the FBS that has yet to throw an interception this year. They also have only three fumbles, putting them 16th in that category. Combined with a defense that has generated 17 takeaways, Georgia Southern is the top overall team in the country in turnover margin.
Which Sun Belt rival will emerge victorious and remain in the Group of Five’s hunt for a New Year’s Six berth? Here’s how you can watch the Thursday night game between Georgia Southern and No. 25 Appalachian State:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 25
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Statesboro, Ga.
Venue: Allen E. Paulson Stadium
TV: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
Appalachian State first and foremost needs to avoid falling into Georgia Southern’s trap. They are also a top-five team in giveaways. The difference is that they are not nearly as good at stealing the ball away from opponents. They also need to keep drives going, not so much because they are incapable of scoring quickly but to keep the ball out of the hands of a team that drains the clock.
For Georgia Southern to pull off the upset on their home field, they must remain disciplined. The nation’s best team at protecting the football also needs to live up to its reputation as one of the least-penalized teams in the country this year. More importantly, though, they need to take risks and challenge the App State defense with their ground game.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Appalachian State -8.5
Over/Under: 47.5
Prediction
Appalachian State will manage to hold on to their spot in the AP Top 25 this week. With the College Football Playoff selection committee releasing their rankings a few days later, the question shifts to whether the Mountaineers will do enough to get into there. Darrynton Evans has picked up the slack in the backfield after Jalin Moore went down with a nasty ankle injury that ruined his college career, and he’ll make the difference again against the Eagles.
Final Score: Appalachian State 24, Georgia Southern 14