The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and Jacksonville State Gamecocks open their season on Thursday. Kickoff at AmFirst Stadium is scheduled for 8 pm ET (CBS Sports Network). Below, we break down the Coastal Carolina vs. Jacksonville State odds from BetMGM Sportsbook and give our college football expert picks and predictions.
Coastal Carolina finished last season tied for third in the Sun Belt East Division with an 8-5 overall record and 5-3 conference record. The team closed out the season with a 24-14 win over San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl. The Chanticleers transferred quarterback Grayson McCall to North Carolina State in the offseason and quarterback Ethan Basco will take over the reins. Basco was the No. 2 point guard last season, throwing seven touchdowns and one interception. QB Noah Kim, a transfer from Michigan State, is also a possibility.
Jacksonville State finished last season with a 9-4 record, including a 5-1 record at home and a 6-2 record in C-USA play, good for third in the conference. They ended the season with a 34-31 win over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl. Quarterback Logan Smothers, who threw six touchdowns and four interceptions as the No. 2 last year, and quarterback Tyler Huff, a transfer from Furman University, will be the co-starters on Thursday. Gamecocks coach Rich Rodriguez has yet to announce a full-season starter because quarterback Zion Webb has declared for the NFL Draft after completing his seventh year of eligibility in 2023.
– Rankings: U.S. LBM Coaches Poll conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Coastal Carolina vs Jacksonville State odds
Courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. For the complete list, visit the USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds Hub. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Coastal Carolina +130 (bet $100 to win $130) | Jacksonville State -155 (bet $155 to win $100) Against the Spread (ATS): Coastal Carolina +3 (-110) | Jacksonville State -3 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 54.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Coastal Carolina vs. Jacksonville State Predictions and Forecasts
prediction
Jacksonville State University 24, Coastal Carolina University 20
Money Line
Passed.
The spread on Jacksonville State is worth more.
Preventing the spread
Betting on Jacksonville State -3 (-110).
Jacksonville State has shown a penchant for getting the ball on the ground and controlling the ball in the past. The offensive line returns three starters, with running back Anwar Lewis returning for his senior season. In the season opener in front of a home crowd, Jacksonville State will look to outplay Vasco and Co. and start the season off with a win and a cover.
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Over/Under
Bet under 54.5 (-110).
Both teams will attack early and often with different strategies, but the Gamecocks' willingness to waste the clock and keep pounding the ball on the ground will impact the point total. With each team playing to their strengths while implementing new strategies in the offseason, 54.5 points could prove to be too high to surpass.
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