It's a fun belt Thursday night in Huntington, West Virginia, as the Georgia State Panthers (2-3, 0-2 Sun Belt) travel to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-3, 1-1).
The Thundering Herd are coming off of a tough 24-23 loss at Georgia Southern, whereas the Panthers suffered a 21-14 defeat to Old Dominion.
Oddsmakers have the Herd as 9-point home favorites with the over/under at 51.5. Let’s dive into my Georgia State vs. Marshall predictions and college football picks for Thursday, Oct. 17.
Georgia State Panthers vs. Marshall Thundering Herd Prediction
- Georgia State vs. Marshall Pick: Under 51.5
I'm expecting both teams to stay under the total for my Marshall vs. Georgia State best bet. Find the best line for the game on our live NCAAF odds page.
Georgia State vs. Marshall Odds, Spread, Line
| Georgia State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8 -110 | 51.5 -112o / -108u | +235 |
| Marshall Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8 -110 | 51.5 -1120 / -108u | -290 |
- Georgia State vs. Marshall Spread: Marshall -8
- Georgia State vs. Marshall Over/Under: 51.5 Points
- Georgia State vs. Marshall Moneyline: Georgia State ML +235 · Marshall ML -290
Georgia State Football vs. Marshall Football Preview
Georgia State Panthers Betting Preview: Offense Continues to Struggle
The Panthers are a disaster on offense, and it doesn’t get much worse than losing to a bad Old Dominion team. Georgia State is 0-2 in Sun Belt play and must win this contest if it has any prayer of making a bowl game.
The offense ranks outside the top 100 in Rushing Success Rate and Line Yards. Running back Freddie Brock is averaging over five yards per carry, but the offensive line hasn’t done him any favors.
The Panthers rarely attempt to run the ball, which could be because they're constantly in a negative game script. Last week against ODU, they posted a 41% Success Rate on standard downs and only a 17% Success Rate on passing downs.
If things seem like they can't get worse, they certainly can. Head coach Dell McGee hasn’t announced a starting quarterback after backup Zach Gibson came in last week and completed all six of his pass attempts.
I assume Gibson will get the start, as Christian Veilleux has been given enough chances throughout the season. His numbers aren’t terrible, but McGee might want to shake things up.
The Panthers are also outside the top 115 in Finishing Drives and Quality Drives, so their offense has been a real disappointment. Their special teams also rank outside the top 110, so there are few bright spots for the program.
Defensively, they've been mediocre at best. They're 131st in Defensive Finishing Drives, so offenses have scored at will whenever they enter their territory.
Georgia State has been pushed around in the trench, shredded in the secondary and doesn’t create Havoc. Considering how bad it's been, it's astonishing that it's 53rd in PFF tackle grading.
I can’t back the Panthers right now. There are far too many questions on offense and no signs of the defense turning things around anytime soon.
Marshall Thundering Herd Betting Preview: Favorable Matchup
I'm still trying to figure out how Marshall lost after leading, 23-3, late in the fourth quarter last week. Georgia Southern made a furious comeback and stunned the Thundering Herd.
It's been a bizarre season for the Herd, who have dealt with controversy at quarterback. Cole Pennington is out for the season with an injury, so Marshall has split the duties between Stone Earle and Braylon Braxton.
Braxton will likely get more reps moving forward, which is the best move for the offense. Braxton has been a great weapon on the ground and has also thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
This is a dream matchup for the Herd's offense. They're in the top 60 in Line Yards and Rushing Success Rate, and they rank 22nd in Havoc Allowed. The offensive line has clearly done an excellent job.
The running game should be open for most of the evening, and their high-tempo offense should consistently move the chains. My lone concern is that they're outside the top 100 in Quality Drives and Finishing Drives.
Establishing an offensive rhythm has been a struggle, so they may have trouble putting up consistent touchdowns. This is an alarming statistic that should significantly impact the total.
Defensively, I love this matchup. Marshall ranks 29th in Passing Success Rate and 54th in Havoc.
Its defensive front should eat the Panthers' offensive line alive and force either Gibson or Veilleux into nightmare passing-down situations. The Herd are also an outstanding fourth in PFF coverage and 42nd in tackling.
The secondary is elite, so I don’t expect the Panthers' passing attack to have any success. Georgia State rarely runs the football, which should make for a great night for Marshall’s defense.
Marshall vs. Georgia State Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Marshall and Georgia State match up statistically:
Georgia State Offense vs. Marshall Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 104 | 103 |  |
| Line Yards | 107 | 75 | |
| Pass Success | 87 | 29 | |
| Havoc | 74 | 54 | |
| Finishing Drives | 120 | 107 | |
| Quality Drives | 114 | 72 | |
Marshall Offense vs. Georgia State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 61 | 83 | |
| Line Yards | 42 | 94 | |
| Pass Success | 73 | 110 | |
| Havoc | 22 | 76 | |
| Finishing Drives | 104 | 131 | |
| Quality Drives | 104 | 84 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 53 | 42 |
| PFF Coverage | 106 | 4 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 110 | 112 |
| Middle 8 | 117 | 35 |
| Seconds per Play | 25.1 (28) | 26.0 (43) |
| Rush Rate | 41% (127) | 58% (37) |
How to Bet My Georgia State vs. Marshall Pick
I am smashing this under before it drops any further. You can grab Under 51.5 right now at FanDuel, though I expect the total to plummet if Braxton is announced as Marshall's starting quarterback.
Braxton loves to use his legs, so despite Marshall’s love of going up-tempo, the clock should be moving for most of the game. The Herd's struggles to establish consistency and finish drives give me cause for concern that they aren’t going to hang a crooked number on the Panthers’ defense, despite the soft matchup.
The Herd's elite secondary should dominate regardless of who starts at quarterback. The Herd may break out of their red-zone slump on offense, but I wouldn’t expect the Panthers to contribute much to the total.
The Panthers’ offense only scored 14 points against Old Dominion last week, and I doubt Gibson will be a sparkplug.
Pick: Under 51.5 (Play to 50)
Georgia State vs. Marshall Live: Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV |
| Date: | Thursday, Oct. 17 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN2 |
Marshall vs. Georgia State Betting Trends
- Georgia State has landed 52% of the bets and generated 68% of the money.
- The under has taken 27% of the tickets and 35% of the cash.
Georgia State vs. Marshall Weather
