The Appalachian State Mountaineers take on the Charlotte 49ers in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
App State is favored by -6.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -250. The total is set at 50.5 points.
Here’s my App State vs. Charlotte predictions and college football picks for Friday, August 29.
App State vs Charlotte Prediction
- App State vs. Charlotte Pick: Charlotte +5.5
My Charlotte vs. App State best bet is on the 49ers to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
App State vs Charlotte Odds
| App State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | -222 |
| Charlotte Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | +175 |
- App State vs Charlotte point spread: App State -5 (-110), Charlotte +5 (-105)
- App State vs Charlotte over/under: 49.5 (-110o / -110u)
- App State vs Charlotte moneyline: App State -222, Charlotte +175
App State vs Charlotte College Football Betting Preview
Appalachian State Mountaineers Betting Preview: New Faces in Boone
Last year was the first losing season for Appalachian State at the FBS level. The Mountaineers responded swiftly, hiring former South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to be the head coach. Loggains was the mind behind the Gamecocks' recent offensive resurgence.
EA Sports College Football 25 players are, of course, familiar with the tandem of Nyck Harbor and LaNorris Sellers, a potent duo through the air.
But Loggains really made his money on the ground, ranking 20th in rush rate. This allowed them to be devastating when they did throw, ranking 28th in Passing PPA and 14th in Passing Explosiveness.
Loggains will be relying heavily on new quarterback AJ Swann (LSU) and wide receiver Jaden Barnes (Austin Peay) to carry the load in the passing game.
It will be a play-action based attack built on the back of returning running back Kanye Roberts, who had 574 all-purpose yards in eight games last season. However, Roberts tore his ACL in practice and will be out for the season.
App State will be a team relying heavily on former P4 players. However, its Transfer and Returning Production (TARP) ranking is very low because these players generally didn't get a lot of playing time at their other programs.
The sportsbooks have this as another rebuilding year for the Mountaineers, with a win total set at 5.5. However, in this new era of college football, they could be a surprise contender for the Sun Belt.
That being said, a new-look roster with a new coaching staff seems like a safe bet to need some time to gel.
Charlotte 49ers Betting Preview: Albin Leading the Way
Unlike the Mountaineers, who have made the transition to the highest level of football look seamless, the 49ers have struggled.
Charlotte has recorded only one winning season since making the move to FBS ball. But there's new hope surrounding the program after bringing in MAC champion head coach Tim Albin from Ohio.
Despite having completely different pedigrees entering the game, the 49ers and Mountaineers are in very similar spots. New head coaches, new quarterbacks, new rosters.
However, I do think the 49ers staff has the benefit of continuity, with the majority of the staff being brought over from Albin's previous program in Athens.
One more similarity? Both former programs ran the ball a lot.
The Bobcats ranked 10th in rush rate and were very effective. They ranked in the top 30 in Rushing Success Rate, Rushing Explosiveness and Rushing PPA.
The 49ers will be looking for someone to step into the role of lead back, as all three leading rushers from last season are gone. Look for a running back by committee approach until a feature back emerges (my money would be on fourth-year player Henry Rutledge, who also excels as a return man).
App State vs Charlotte Pick, Betting Analysis
Both of these teams are in extremely similar spots. In situations like these (especially in Week 1), I like to go with the underdog for value.
We have this game closer to App State -1.5, and I almost think this is a pick'em.
App State may have more talent at the quarterback position with Swann, but I like the staff at Charlotte more. Look for both teams to keep the ball on the ground, but I trust the 49ers more against a new-look Mountaineers front four.
Pick: Charlotte +5.5
