The 14th-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers will try to overpower the Appalachian State Mountaineers when they visit Kidd Brewer Stadium on Wednesday for a Sun Belt showdown. The Chanticleers (6-0) are the highest-scoring team in the nation (48.8 points per game) and have topped 50 in three straight games. They crushed Arkansas State 52-20 before their bye week to run their record to 17-1 in their past 18 games. The Mountaineers (4-2) will try to pull an upset that would bring them even with CCU in the division standings, and they are trying to rebound from a lopsided loss. Appalachian State turned the ball over four times last Tuesday in a 41-13 blowout against Louisiana.
Kickoff from Boone, N.C. is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Chanticleers are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 60.5. Before making any Appalachian State vs. Coastal Carolina picks, you need to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 8 of the 2021 season on a 22-9 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has locked in on Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State and revealed its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Appalachian State vs. Coastal Carolina:
- Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State: Chanticleers -4.5
- Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State over-under: 60.5 points
- Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State money line: Chanticleers -200, Mountaineers +170
- CCU: Coastal Carolina is 13-4-1 ATS since the start of last season
- AS: Appalachian State is 7-2 ATS as an underdog since 2017
Why the Chanticleers can cover
Coastal Carolina is 5-1 against the spread this season, and the offense has overpowered every team it has faced. It ranks third in the nation in total yards (552.5 per game) and can succeed with the run (261.8 per game, fourth) or pass (290.7, 18th). QB Grayson McCall runs the show, and he leads the nation in completion percentage (79.8) and has 14 TD passes against one interception. The App State defense ranks 91st against the pass, so Jaivon Heiligh (19.8 yards per catch, four TDs) and tight end Isaiah Likely (19.0, eight) could cause it a lot of trouble.
The Chanticleers are 8-1-1 against the spread in Sun Belt games since the start of last season, and running backs Reese White (455 yards, seven TDs), Shermari Jones (401, four) and Braydon Bennett (268 yards, four TDs) also can wreak havoc. Coastal Carolina's defense allows just 15 points and 283 yards per game, both eighth in the nation. Jerrod Clark, a 345-pound nose tackle, anchors the front, while linebackers Silas Kelly and Teddy Gallagher have combined for 74 tackles.
Why the Mountaineers can cover
Appalachian State is 4-0 against the spread in its last four after allowing more than 40 points in its previous game. It has allowed 23.5 per game overall (60th in FBS). The Mountaineers made a lot of mistakes against the Ragin' Cajuns, turning the ball over four times, but the Chanticleers have just three takeaways this season. Coastal Carolina's defensive weakness is against the run, as it ranks 43rd in the nation at 130.7 yards per game, and that is App State's strength. Running back Nate Noel has rushed for 555 yards, while Camerun Peoples has 353 rushing yards and eight TDs.
The Mountaineers also can make big plays, with QB Chase Brice throwing touchdown passes of 79 and 80 yards against Georgia State. Brice has 1,493 passing yards and eight TDs, and the Mountaineers score 31.5 points per game. Corey Sutton scored one of those long TDs and has 34 catches for 492 yards, while Thomas Hennigan (25 catches) is a steady presence.
How to make Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State picks
The model says to go under the total since the teams combine for 55 points in the simulations. It also says one side of the spread hits more than 50 percent of the time. You can only get the model's Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Appalachian State vs. Coastal Carolina? And which side of the spread is hitting over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State spread to back Wednesday, all from the advanced model on a 22-9 run on its top-rated college football side picks, and find out.