Baylor at Texas State - 9/4/21 College Football Picks and Prediction
Photo by Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Texas State Bobcats (0-0) vs Baylor Bears (0-0)
Game Info: Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 7:00 pm (Jim Wacker Field at Bobcat Stadium)
Betting Odds: Texas State Bobcats +14 -- Over/Under: 53 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Baylor Bears will head on the road to face the Texas State Bobcats in week one of the NCAA college football season. The Bears have one all seven matchups between these two programs, with the last victory coming back in 2007.
Baylor had one of the better recruiting classes in the Big 12 this offseason and addressed several areas of need. They will need all the help they can get after a disappointing 2020 season in which they finished 2-7. They averaged just 90.3 yards per game on the ground last season, with a team average of 2.0 yards per carry. Junior Gerry Bohanon will take over at quarterback. He was 18-38 for 194 yards and two touchdowns in the three prior seasons. On defense Baylor allowed just 203 passing yards per game, however they were gauged for 180.4 yards per game on the ground. They are optimistic that new recruits Tre Emory and Enyce Sledge can step in and fill the void on the interior.
Texas State is hoping that Brady McBride can continue where he left off at the end of 2020. After alternating snaps early in the season, he threw for 800 yards with 8 touchdowns and no interceptions over their last three games, solidifying his role as the team’s starter moving forward. The rest of the offense is mostly intact, so this unit has a chance to break out this season. Defensive leaders Jarron Morris and Nico Ezidore have returned, but there are question marks everywhere else on this side of the ball. They allowed 38.2 points and 494 yards per game in the year prior.
Baylor is 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games, 3-7 on the money line, and the under is 5-4-1.
Texas State is 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games, 2-8 on the money line, and the under is 5-5.
Baylor’s defense did a great job in 2020, but their offense let them down. They averaged just 310 yards per game, and they will have an unproven commodity under center. Texas State has a dangerous offense that can attack the Bears in multiple ways. In addition to their success through the air, they racked up 131 yards per game on the ground, enough to keep a defense honest. Texas State has a chance to win this game outright but should be able to do enough to cover. Give me the Bobcats at home.
Joe’s Pick Texas State Bobcats +14
AUTHOR: Joe Bonomo
Mitch's Take...
