Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State Odds
| Coastal Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
– -110 | 61 -110o / -110u | -200 |
| Appalachian State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 61 -110o / -110u | +165 |
No. 14 Coastal Carolina (6-0) heads to Boone, North Carolina, after a bye week to face Appalachian State (4-2) in an Eastern Division Sun Belt rivalry game.
This will be the eighth game between the two programs but only the fourth as FBS competitors. The Chanticleers won last year’s meeting by a tally of 34-23.
Coastal Carolina is 17-1 since the start of the 2020 season, and it's been ranked in 19 straight polls since October 2020. Now, the Chanticleers are just one of 11 unbeaten teams left in FBS this season as they look to shoulder their way into the College Football Playoff conversation.
The Chanticleers are 5-1 against the spread this season. They covered their last game against Arkansas State as 20-point favorites, winning 52-20. Most importantly, Coastal Carolina is 3-1 against the spread after coming off of a bye in the last two years.
App State is 3-3 against the number and total this season. It lost outright as 4.5-point favorites on the road to Louisiana last Tuesday by a final score of 41-13.
Will the Mountaineers be able to bounce back from a demoralizing loss and ruin the Chanticleers' perfect season? Or will the top-tier Coastal Carolina offense be too much in Boone?
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Coastal Carolina Offense
The Chanticleers had an exciting offensive performance against Arkansas State two weeks ago, putting up 685 yards of total offense in a blowout win. That marked the second-highest single-game offensive performance in program history.
The Chanticleer offense passed for 391 yards and added 294 yards rushing. The Chants scored on eight of their 13 drives en route to 52 points.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall went 18-for-23 through the air, throwing for 365 yards and four touchdowns. All four touchdowns were thrown to senior tight end Isaiah Likely.
McCall is averaging 246.3 yards per game passing this season. He's thrown 14 touchdowns and only one interception.
A running back by committee approach has been effectively utilized by the Chanticleers. On the ground, they are averaging 6.7 yards per carry and have hit pay dirt 20 times this season.
Coastal Carolina leads the nation in scoring offense, averaging 48.8 points per game this season. This is particularly impressive when you consider it runs the ball over 62.9% of the time.
The offense has been particularly efficient this season, ranking first in FBS Offensive Success Rate and second in points per opportunity.
Coastal Carolina Defense
The Coastal Carolina defense has been excellent so far this season. Known as the “Black Swarm” because of the black jerseys it wears in practice and the fact it swarms to the ball, Coastal has a penchant for creating Havoc on the defensive side of the ball.
The defense lived up to its moniker and swarmed the Arkansas State offense in its most recent game. The Chants held the Red Wolves to just 273 yards of total offense, consisting of 255 through the air and 18 on the ground.
Captains and linebackers Silas Kelly and Teddy Gallagher led the way for the defense, combining for 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The pair has also combined for 75 tackles on the season.
The Chanticleers rank fifth in the nation in total defense, allowing only 270.2 yards per game. The passing defense gives up only 151.5 yards per game. However, the rushing defense is competent and ranks in the top third of rushing defenses nationally.
App State Mountaineers
App State Offense
The App State offense had a very tough time against the Louisiana defense in its last game. The Mountaineers racked up only 211 yards of total offense in the contest and went 0-for-11 on third-down attempts.
Graduate transfer quarterback Chase Brice completed 15-of-26 passes for 133 yards and two interceptions against Louisiana. He added a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, but Brice will once again see similar difficulties against the tenacious Chanticleer passing defense.
The Mountaineer rushing attack was baffled against Louisiana, gaining only 78 yards on the ground. App State will have no choice but to establish the run game against Coastal Carolina to counteract its shutdown passing defense.
Even though last week was a tough one, the App State offense is still a very capable unit. The Mountaineers average 31.5 points per game, which ranks 44th nationally. They rank 22nd in Offensive Success Rate as well.
App State Defense
The App State defense gave up 41 points to the Ragin’ Cajuns last week. That marked the largest gouging it's allowed since 2019.
Super senior defensive back Kaiden Smith put up a game-high 10 tackles, while junior outside linebacker Nick Hampton recorded a sack to give himself three on the year.
The App State defense ranks 60th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 23.5 points per game. The Mountaineer rushing defense is stiffer than its passing defense, allowing 138.5 yards per game, good for 57th nationally.
The passing defense, however, is a liability for the Mountaineers. The unit gives up 240.8 yards per game through the air, which ranks in the bottom third of FBS programs.
Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State match up statistically:
Coastal Carolina Offense vs. Appalachian State Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 14 | 38 | |
| Line Yards | 12 | 24 | |
| Pass Success | 16 | 44 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 36 | 86 | |
| Big Play | 1 | 92 | |
| Havoc | 8 | 30 | |
| Finishing Drives | 2 | 48 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Appalachian State Offense vs. Coastal Carolina Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 66 | 66 |  |
| Line Yards | 71 | 39 | |
| Pass Success | 33 | 9 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 71 | 24 | |
| Big Play | 34 | 12 | |
| Havoc | 53 | 38 | |
| Finishing Drives | 42 | 68 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 17 | 43 |
| Coverage | 47 | 55 |
| Middle 8 | 1 | 84 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 104 | 9 |
| Plays per Minute | 121 | 65 |
| Rush Rate | 62.9% (18) | 55.8% (57) |
Data via College Football Data, FootballOutsiders, SP+, PFF and SportSource Analytics.
Coastal Carolina has the clear advantage in a side-by-side statistical analysis.
I’ll refer you to the pace of play graphic to focus on a couple of stats that really stand out. Importantly, the Chanticleers rush the ball 62.9% of the time, which ranks 18th in the nation. Meanwhile, the Mountaineer defense ranks 43rd in the nation in tackling after giving up 246 yards on the ground last week.
Coastal ranks first in the nation in Middle 8, which captures how well teams perform in the last four minutes of the second quarter and the first four minutes of the third.
This is a proxy for coaching and game-planning, as winning the Middle 8 has a high correlation with winning the game.
Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State Betting Pick
A rested Coastal Carolina team coming off a bye week has its biggest test of the season to date against App State in the mountains of North Carolina.
Kidd Brewer Stadium is a hostile environment the Chanticleers have never won in.
But the Chanticleers are a complete team on offense and will be up for the challenge. They lead the nation in scoring offense and have the ability to win through the air or on the ground behind McCall and an impressive group of running backs.
Defensively, the Coastal Carolina team ranks ninth nationally in Passing Success. This will force App State to rely on its run game.
Coastal Carolina will follow the tape on App State and assert the run game. McCall will be able to effectively move the ball against App State’s porous secondary. Look for Coastal Carolina to pull away in the second half of this game.
There has been some line movement as sharp money has backed the Chanticleers, moving the opening line by a hook.
Finally, I am projecting Coastal Carolina as 6.5-point favorites as its top-ranked offense and defense will overwhelm App State in the back half of the game
Pick: Coastal Carolina -4.5 (Play to -6). Recommended Risk: 2 units.
