Two schools that like to run the football, Golden Panthers of FIU (+1.5) are set to welcome the Marshall Thundering Herd (-1.5) to Riccardo Silva Stadium. STAD,FCBK will broadcast the action and the game is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Betting Preview: Marshall Thundering Herd vs. FIU Golden Panthers
In this Saturday Conference USA game, Marshall is tabbed as the favorite and is currently giving up 1.5 points. The Thundering Herd are also receiving -120 moneyline odds while the Golden Panthers are +100. If one side catches a lucky break early it would create a nice live betting scenario. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 52 points.
The game’s line opened at -2. The O/U has not changed after being set initially at 52.
Each of these teams has been profitable this year as the Thundering Herd have gained 1.1 units while the Golden Panthers are up 3.8 units.
The Thundering Herd have gone 7-3 straight up (SU), including 5-2 SU against conference opponents. The Golden Panthers are 8-3 SU overall and are also 6-1 SU in conference play.
When these two squads met last year, FIU got the victory 41-30.
Each team enters this matchup on a two-game undefeated streak. The Thundering Herd are coming off a resounding 23-0 victory over UTSA last week where Isaiah Green completed only 19 passes on 36 attempts for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Brenden Knox (56 rushing yards on 15 attempts) and Keion Davis (49 yards on 12 carries) led the ground attack while Tyre Brady (six receptions, 162 yards, one TD) and Obi Obialo (five catches, 103 yards) handled the receiving duties in the win.
The FIU Golden Panthers are coming off of a 42-35 win over Charlotte. The team’s defense allowed the 49ers to rush for 281 yards on 57 attempts, including four rush TDs. Benny LeMay was a force to be reckoned with, putting up 159 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 30 attempts, along with 43 yards on three catches for Charlotte. For FIU, James Morgan completed 24-of-31 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Jones (72 rushing yards on 11 attempts) and Napoleon Maxwell (102 yards on seven carries, two TDs) handled the running game while Maurice Alexander (five receptions, 36 yards) and Bryce Singleton (four catches, 38 yards) led the pass-catching attack in the win.
Marshall’s run the ball on 51.3 percent of its offensive possessions this year while FIU has a rush percentage of 55.9 percent. The Thundering Herd have produced 148.4 rush yards per game (including 167.1 per game against Conference USA opponents) and have 15 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Golden Panthers are putting up 169.9 rushing yards per game (161.9 in conference) and have 20 total rush TDs.
The Thundering Herd offense has logged 234.8 yards/contest through the air overall (218.3 per game against conference opposition) and has 17 passing scores so far. The Golden Panthers have recorded 255.2 pass yards per contest (269 against CUSA foes) and have 26 total pass TDs.
Defensively, Marshall has let opponents rush for an average of 91.5 yards and throw for 226.7 yards per game. The FIU D has given up 189.4 yards per game to opposing passers and 202.5 yards per game to opposing runners. Both teams allow similar adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) to opponents, as the Thundering Herd have given up an ANY/A of 4.61 to opposing QBs, while the Golden Panthers are allowing an ANY/A of 4.78.
Offensively, Green is up to 1,664 passing yards on the year. He’s connected on 54 percent of his 219 attempts with 11 passing scores and seven interceptions. He has a 6.74 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 9.97 over the last two games.
Tyre Brady (750 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns on the year), Brenden Knox (56 rush yards) and Obi Obialo (393 receiving yards, three TDs) have each played big roles recently.
James Morgan has connected on 173-of-264 passes for 2,296 yards, 23 TDs and five INTs for FIU. His ANY/A sits at 9.12 for the year and 10.66 across his past two games.
We’re looking for the Golden Panthers to control tempo by getting the ball into the hands of their running backs. In addition to Austin Maloney (450 receiving yards, five receiving TDs this season), Napoleon Maxwell (559 rush yards, five rush TDs) and Anthony Jones (191 rush yards, two rush TDs, two TDs) have been focal points in the FIU offense.
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. FIU Golden Panthers Betting Prediction
SU Winner: Marshall, ATS Winner: Marshall, O/U: Over
Team Betting Trends
- The Thundering Herd offense has recorded eight pass plays of 40+ yards, while the Golden Panthers have accounted for 11 such plays.
- Both teams have allowed five pass plays of 40 or more yards. The Marshall defense has given up 11 pass plays of 30+ yards while FIU has given up 10 such plays.
- The Marshall offense has created 11 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while FIU has created 15 such runs.
- The Thundering Herd defense has allowed two rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Golden Panthers have given up 18 such runs.
- The Marshall defensive unit has sacked opposing quarterbacks 35 times this season. FIU has recorded just 20 sacks.
- Marshall, as a team, has averaged 3.1 yards per carry over its last three outings and 3.5 over its last two.
- FIU has averaged 4.7 yards per carry over its last three matchups and 5.4 over its past two.
- Over its last three matchups, FIU is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in each of those three.
- The O/U for Marshall’s last game going into it was 48. The under cashed in the team’s 23-0 win over UTSA.
- In its last three matchups, Marshall is 1-2 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- The O/U for FIU’s last matchup was set at 45. The over cashed in the 42-35 triumph over Charlotte.
- Marshall has won five of its last six games SU, with a two-point defeat to Southern Miss on November 3rd representing the only loss over that stretch.
- FIU has won seven of its last eight games SU, with a -35-point loss to Florida Atlantic on November 3rd representing the one defeat over that stretch.
