Georgia faces stiff test from Appalachian State
Appalachian State is 27-5 in its past 32 games and has lost by more than 14 points only twice in its past 33. Georgia, a 14½-point home favorite Saturday against the Mountaineers, hasn’t won by more than 14 points in 17 consecutive games.
Kirby Smart’s team went 0-4 against the spread as a home favorite last season. Going back further, Georgia is 3-10 ATS in its past 13 games as a double-digit home favorite.
Scott Satterfield’s squad returns 14 of 22 starters from a 10-3 team that lost on the road against Tennessee and Troy and at home vs. Miami. Appalachian State should have won outright at Neyland Stadium in last year’s opener, but a missed extra point and fourth-quarter field goal allowed the Volunteers to rally from a double-digit halftime deficit and win in overtime.
Mountaineers senior quarterback Taylor Lamb has made 36 career starts, throwing 63 touchdown passes and only 26 interceptions. He rushed for 505 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Lamb leads a balanced offense that brings back Jalin Moore, the Sun Belt’s offensive player of the year in 2016 with 1,402 yards rushing and 10 TDs.
Appalachian State’s offensive line features three players with NFL futures in Colby Gossett, Beau Nunn and Victor Johnson. The Mountaineers also return their leading receiver in Shaedon Meadors, who will face a Bulldogs secondary that probably will be missing one of its best players in injured senior safety Malkom Parrish.
Appalachian State returns seven starters from a salty defense that allowed only 17.8 points per game last season. The unit is led by senior linebacker Eric Boggs, who has started 32 straight games. He had a team-best 98 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions last season.
Look for the Mountaineers to give Georgia fits for four quarters and cover the number as a 14½-point underdog.
Four more plays (home team in CAPS):
Georgia Southern (+34) over AUBURN — Georgia Southern has compiled a 7-1 spread record against Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference foes since 2011. Auburn is 1-9 ATS in its past 10 as a favorite of 19 points or more. With Clemson on deck next week, Gus Malzahn will try to get his best players out of harm’s way as early as possible. The Eagles’ run-oriented offense that eats clock also will help the cause.
South Carolina (+5) over North Carolina State — This is a toss-up game in terms of which team wins outright, so I’ll gladly take the points. The Gamecocks return 16 starters from a six-win team that unexpectedly earned a bowl bid. Will Muschamp has finally found a quality quarterback in sophomore Jake Bentley, who led the team to four wins in seven starts. South Carolina’s defense gets linebacker Skai Moore back after a redshirt season. Moore led the Gamecocks in tackles in 2013, ’14 and ’15.
Alabama (-7) over Florida State — The crucial matchup of Alabama’s defensive line versus Florida State’s offensive line will be one-sided in favor of the Crimson Tide, especially in the second half. Look for Nick Saban’s team to win by 10 to 17 points thanks to big plays from his defense that’s led by junior safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
South Alabama (+24) over MISSISSIPPI — Joey Jones’ team went into Starkville and beat Mississippi State as a 28-point underdog in last year’s opener. South Alabama also dealt previously unbeaten and 19th-ranked San Diego State a 42-24 loss en route to earning the second postseason berth in school history. Ole Miss, which will be without two suspended defensive starters, has limped to a 2-6 spread record with three outright defeats in its past eight games as double-digit chalk.
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Brian Edwards of VegasInsider.com and BrianEdwardsSports.com is providing college football analysis for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Follow @vegasbedwards on Twitter.
