FIU vs Marshall NCAA Football Picks and Tips 11/30/2019

Game: FIU Golden Panthers vs Marshall Thundering Herd

Date: Saturday, November 30, 2019

Week 14

Location: Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, WV

TV: CBSSN

Odds/Point Spread: Marshall -8.5

Total/Over-Under: 50

James Morgan and the FIU Golden Panthers are headed to Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Saturday where they'll meet the Marshall Thundering Herd. The odds on this matchup have Marshall as 8.5-point favorites. The Golden Panthers are 3-8-0 ATS and 5-6-0 when betting on the total. The Thundering Herd are 6-5-0 when wagering on the over/under and 4-7-0 against the spread.

In their last game, the FIU Golden Panthers went up against the Miami Hurricanes and notched a win by a score of 30-24. Anthony Jones paced the team on the ground for that contest. He had a long run of 37 yards and he tallied 1 touchdown for the game. He rushed for 112 yards by way of 16 carries which had him averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Tony Gaiter IV led the team in receiving yardage by earning 82 yards on 6 receptions. He averaged 13.7 yards per catch for that contest. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Golden Panthers was James Morgan who went 16/30 with 160 yards through the air and added 2 touchdowns. He ended the game with no interceptions. The Golden Panthers ran the football 29 times and generated 137 yards giving them an average of 4.7 yards per rush. On the day, the Golden Panthers got 17 first downs and they had a total of 14 penalties for 144 yards telling us that this team was extremely undisciplined. Overall, they ran 59 plays which gave them a total of 297 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, FIU gave up 19 catches on 36 attempts totaling 249 yards, and a completion percentage of 52.8%. For the game, they allowed a total of 413 yards and forced 3 turnovers. Against the run, the Golden Panthers gave up 164 yards on 31 tries which gave them an average of 5.3 yards per carry allowed.

The Golden Panthers come into this matchup with a record of 6-5 in 2019. For total yardage, they rank 8th in the conference and 93rd in Division 1 with 4,133 yards. They are in the middle of the pack in regard to scoring in the nation averaging 26.5 points per game, putting them 83rd in Division 1. As a unit, they are averaging 175.5 rushing yards per contest which is 4th in the conference. The Golden Panthers have one of the middle tier defenses in Division 1, giving up 26.4 points per game ranking them 7th in Conference USA. When it comes to passing yards, the Golden Panthers have conceded 2,202 yards. Opponents are completing 55.8% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 6.6 yards per try. In discussing rushing yards, FIU is giving up 205.5 yards per contest putting them 14th in C-USA and 112th in the country. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.4 yards per rush putting them 12th in the conference and 120th in Division 1 overall. Overall, they have allowed 2,261 yards rushing through 11 games.

Related: Gambling 101 Series on How Odds are Calculated - Watch Tony George Explain

In their last contest, the Marshall Thundering Herd faced the Charlotte 49ers and took the defeat by a score of 24-13. Running the show from under center for the Thundering Herd was Isaiah Green who went 6/17 with 86 yards through the air but wasn't able to throw a ball for a TD. He tossed 2 interceptions in the game. Brenden Knox paced the team in rushing in the game. His longest run of the day went for 18 yards but wasn't able to convert a rushing touchdown. He rushed for 92 yards via 22 carries which meant he averaged 4.2 yards per run. Brenden Knox led the team in receiving yardage with a total of 40 yards on 2 receptions. He notched an average of 20.0 yards per catch in the game. The Thundering Herd ran the ball a total of 34 times and earned a total of 144 yards which had them averaging 4.2 yards per carry. For the game, the Thundering Herd totaled 13 1st downs and they totaled 5 infractions for 60 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. Overall, they finished with a total of 51 plays which gave them a total of 230 yards. In terms of defense, Marshall conceded 9 completions on 21 attempts totaling 166 yards, and a completion percentage of 42.9%. For the game, they allowed 424 yards and earned 3 takeaways. In the running game, the Thundering Herd conceded 258 yards on 50 tries which means they had an average of 5.2 yards per rushing attempt allowed.

Related: Get college football tips & picks on all of today's games

The Thundering Herd step onto the field holding a record of 7-4. Marshall has made teams respect their running game by averaging 195.3 rushing yards per game, which has them at 36th in the nation. As a team, they have compiled a total of 2,148 rushing yards through 11 contests, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Thundering Herd average 406.3 yards per game overall which has them at 66th in college football and 7th in C-USA. The Thundering Herd are conceding 22.7 points per game ranking them 3rd in the conference and 36th in D-1. Their pass defense is one of the middling units in the country. They are allowing 226.7 passing yards per contest. For passing yards allowed per game, the Thundering Herd are currently ranked 6th in C-USA. When talking about points given up, they have given up 250 total points. In discussing yards rushing, they are giving up 139.2 yards per game which puts them at 40th in college football and 4th in C-USA. This year, they have allowed a total of 1,531 yards rushing and 18.7 rushing touchdowns.

Who will win tonight's Golden Panthers/Thundering Herd college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Golden Panthers +8.5

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here