A couple of schools that prefer running the football, Coach Jeff Monken and the No. 22 Army West Point Black Knights (-7) are set to take on the Navy Midshipmen at Lincoln Financial Field. CBS will televise the action and the afternoon game is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Betting Preview: Army West Point Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen
Navy is a live dog in this one and is currently getting 7 points. If they are wanting to take the moneyline, bettors would currently have to put up $300 in order to win $100 back on the Black Knights (-300). The Midshipmen are getting +220 moneyline odds. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 45 points. There might be multiple good live betting scenarios for this game.
The opening line was initially -5 and the total was originally set at 52.5, so sharp bettors are hammering both the Black Knights and the under.
The disappointing Midshipmen are 5-7 against the spread (ATS) and have lost 10.9 units so far in 2018. The team’s posted an Over-Under mark of 6-5.
The Black Knights have been a nice surprise for moneyline bettors this season, gaining 8.2 units. The team is 6-3-1 ATS and six of its games have gone over the total.
The Midshipmen are a lousy 3-9 straight up (SU) in 2018 while the Black Knights are 9-2 SU.
The Midshipmen dropped one to Tulane 29-28 in a matchup where Zach Abey completed only seven passes on 13 attempts for 167 yards and one touchdown. Ryan Mitchell (two receptions, 52 yards) and CJ Williams (two catches, 24 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
Army West Point just earned a 28-14 win over Colgate. Kelvin Hopkins Jr. completed two-of-six passes for 25 yards. Darnell Woolfolk (89 rushing yards on 23 attempts, three TDs) and the signal-caller Hopkins Jr. (90 yards on 19 carries, one TD) led the running game while Jordan Asberry (one receptions, 17 yards) and Kell Walker (one catch, eight yards) led the pass-catching corps in the win.
Navy has run the ball on 86.1 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Army West Point has an overall rush percentage of 89.4 percent. The Midshipmen have rushed for 288.5 yards per game and have 36 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Black Knights are logging 303.0 rushing yards per game and have 37 total rush TDs.
If the results so far this season are any indication, then it seems like the Black Knights could have an advantage along both the offensive and defensive fronts, as their offensive line has yielded just two sacks while their D-line has logged 15 sacks. The Midshipmen offensive line has allowed 19 sacks and their defense has forced only nine sacks.
The Midshipmen offensive scheme has averaged 72.2 yards through the air overall and has five passing scores so far. The Black Knights have produced 81.4 pass yards per contest and have six total pass TDs.
Defensively, Navy has allowed opponents to run for an average of 189.0 yards and pass for 249.3 yards per game. The Army West Point defense has allowed 194.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 106.5 yards per game to opposing runners. The Black Knights are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of 7.61 to opposing QBs, while the Midshipmen have given up an 8.30 ANY/A.
Hopkins Jr. has managed to complete 39-of-75 passes for 800 yards, six TDs and three INTs. Hopkins Jr.’s adjusted net yards per pass attempt sits at 10.00 for the year. In the other locker room, Abey has amassed 231 passing yards on the year. He’s completed 11-of-22 attempts with one passing touchdowns and has yet to throw an interception. Abey has a 6.47 ANY/A for the year, though that number sits at 11.00 over the past two games.
When these two programs met last year, Army West Point got the victory 14-13.
Navy Midshipmen at Army West Point Black Knights Free Prediction
SU Winner: Navy, ATS Winner: Navy, O/U: Under
Team Betting Notes
- The Over/Under for Navy’s last game was 50. The over cashed in the team’s 29-28 defeat to Tulane.
- As a team, Navy has produced 5.1 yards per carry across its last three contests and 4.7 over its last two.
- Army West Point has averaged 4.7 yards per carry over its last three games and 4.9 over its past two.
- The Army West Point offense has lost four fumbles this season while Navy has lost 10.
- Over its last three games, Navy is 3-0 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- The O/U for Army West Point’s last matchup was set at 37. The over cashed in the team’s 28-14 victory over Colgate.
- Army West Point has won 10 of its last 11 games SU, with a -7-point defeat to Oklahoma on September 22nd accounting for its only loss over that span.
- Each team has produced four pass plays of 40 or more yards. The Midshipmen have have made eight pass plays of 30+ yards while the Black Knights have accounted for 10 such plays.
- The Navy defense has allowed 11 pass plays of 40 yards or more, while Army West Point has given up five such plays.
- The Navy offense has created 26 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while Army West Point has created 19 such runs.
- The Midshipmen defense has allowed 18 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Black Knights have given up seven such runs.
- The Army West Point defense has sacked opposing QBs 15 times this season. Navy has recorded just nine sacks.
