Top three reasons to take:
San Jose State/Air Force OVER 54
Coastal Carolina/Appalachian State OVER 58
South Florida +7.5
San Jose State @ Air Force: OVER 54
1. The last time these two met was in 2016 and the game finished with 79 points. The Air Force Academy is averaging over six yards per carry so far this season.
2. San Jose State shocked the Arkansas Razorbacks as three-touchdown underdogs last week and that’s mostly because of senior quarterback Josh Love. Love had over 400 yards passing vs this depleted SEC school and looks to continue this week in the thin air of Colorado. Love also has five touchdown passes and only one interception.
3. The OVER has hit in five of the last seven games in which the Spartans have happened to play on a Friday night. In three of the last four home games for the Falcons, the game has gone OVER, and in those games the average score has been 64. Finally, in 24 of the last 32 conference games for Air Force, the game has found a way to go OVER.
Prediction: Air Force 38, San Jose State 34
Coastal Carolina @ Appalachian State: OVER 58
1. Last week I used both of these schools as part of my hidden gems and it worked out perfectly as I thought it would in an Appalachian State three-point upset of North Carolina and a blowout win for Coastal Carolina over Massachusetts (62-28).
2. Through three games, Appalachian State is averaging 44 a game, and Coastal Carolina is putting up 35 points per game. Chanticleers running back CJ Marable leads the team in rushing and receiving with 550 total yards and six touchdowns.
3. Mountaineers running back Darrynton Evans isn’t so bad himself, totaling 411 yards on the ground while averaging eight yards a carry and he has seven touchdowns through three games. Evans had seven touchdowns all last year. Everything points to the OVER this week and hopefully we go 2-0 using these hidden gem schools.
Prediction: Appalachian State 41, Coastal Carolina 31
SMU @ South Florida: South Florida +7.5
1. This game smells like a lookahead game for SMU. The Mustangs are coming off one of their biggest wins in program history as they took down TCU on the road and now have to travel to take on head coach Charlie Strong and the South Florida Bulls.
2. SMU’s win was impressive but again, could be looking ahead to home dates vs Tulsa and Temple over the following two weeks. Quarterback Shane Buechele led them to that big win, but his season numbers are mediocre, passing for seven touchdowns but with four interceptions.
3. South Florida did play ACC school Georgia Tech tough in Week 2, only losing by four points. Senior linebacker Patrick Macon leads this team on defense with 21 tackles and has a pick and a forced fumble. Quarterback Jordan McCloud has six total touchdowns for the Bulls and has yet to turn the ball over.
Prediction: South Florida 27, SMU 24
