Georgia Southern (0-0) vs Boise State (0-0)
Game Info: Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 4:00 pm (Allen E. Paulson Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Georgia Southern +12.5 / Boise State -12.5 — Over/Under: 55.5
The Boise State Broncos and the Georgia Southern Eagles meet Saturday in college football action from Paulson Stadium. Here’s a Boise State vs Georgia Southern prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Boise State vs Georgia Southern pick. We will examine:
The Boise State Broncos recent form and player performance
The Georgia Southern Eagles recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Boise State Broncos
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Georgia Southern Eagles
Recent betting trends in games played between Boise State and Georgia Southern
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Boise State vs Georgia Southern game
Boise State Broncos Betting Preview
Last year Boise State had a pretty nice season overall but it ended on a tough loss. The Broncos would finish 8-6 with a 6-2 Mountain West record, which earned the team a spot in the conference championship. Boise State beat UNLV 44-20 in that game, but then fell to UCLA 35-22 in the LA Bowl.
The Spencer Danielson era kicks off for Boise State in 2024, and he’s got a quartet of new coordinators with him. Danielson will try to duplicate the lofty statistical results on total offense from last year (444.2 yards per game) which ranked second in the Mountain West.
Georgia Southern Eagles Betting Preview
Over on the Eagles’ side, they posted a 6-7 record last year and a 3-5 run in the Sun Belt matchups. Georgia Southern landed in last place among East Division teams with that result but still qualified for the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Georgia Southern lost to Ohio 41-21 in that matchup.
It’s head coach Clay Helton’s third year with Georgia Southern, and he’s got a new offensive coordinator in Ryan Aplin. Hopes are a little higher for the Eagles this year, as they were picked to finish fourth in the East behind Appalachian State, James Madison and Coastal Carolina in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Why the Georgia Southern Eagles will win
- The underdog has won three of Georgia Southern’s last four games.
- Boise State has lost four of its last five games against non-conference opponents.
- Georgia Southern has covered the spread in each of its last five home games against non-conference opponents.
- Boise State has failed to cover the spread in eight of its last 10 games against non-conference opponents.
Why the Boise State Broncos will win
- Georgia Southern has lost each of its last five games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- The favorite has won each of Boise State’s last seven games.
- The favorite has covered the spread in eight of Boise State’s last nine games.
- Georgia Southern has failed to cover the spread in seven of its last eight games against non-AP-ranked teams.
Total Points Facts
- Six of Georgia Southern’s last seven games have gone OVER the total points line.
- Six of Boise State’s last seven road games have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Georgia Southern ranked T30th among FBS teams for Q4 win percentage last season (.538).
- Georgia Southern ranked T38th among FBS teams for Q1 points allowed per game last season (4.5).
- Boise State ranked 6th among FBS teams for Q2 points per game last season (12.9).
- Boise State was one of only eight FBS teams to lose 3+ games when leading at HT last season.
Boise State vs Georgia Southern Prediction
I’ll stick with the Broncos but I could probably go either way. Boise State didn’t start off well last year at 5-5, but eventually found their footing behind Danielson and bagged the conference title. There’s a ton of potential upside with this offense, buoyed in no small part by star RB Ashton Jeanty. He’ll thrive this year if the line can give him a little room.
Defensively the Broncos will need a lift from their defensive line, a unit that returns three of its four starters from last season. The run defense and pass rush will be key to Boise State’s success (or failure) on that side of the ball. For now, this opener should prove a solid test, and I like the Broncos to pass it with a cover. It’s something of a coin flip cover-wise, though.