Texas State at SMU NCAA Football Picks Against the Spread 9/14/2019

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Tyler Vitt and the Texas State Bobcats go to Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday where they'll take on the SMU Mustangs. The odds on this game have SMU as 17-point favorites. The total has been set at 59.5. The Bobcats are 0-2-0 ATS and 0-2-0 when betting on the total. The Mustangs are 2-0-0 when wagering on the over/under and 2-0-0 against the spread.

Key Texas State Bobcats Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key SMU Mustangs Injuries

No key injuries to report

In their last game, the Texas State Bobcats faced the Wyoming Cowboys and left there with a loss by a score of 23-14. Caleb Twyford paced the team in rushing for that game. He tore off a long run of 31 yards and he ran for 1 touchdown for the contest. He scurried for 60 yards via 10 carries which had him averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Hutch White was the receiving yardage leader by earning 96 yards on 10 receptions. He had an average of 9.6 yards per catch for that game. Running the show from under center for the Bobcats was Gresch Jensen who went 33/54 with 394 yards passing and completed 1 touchdown. He tossed 2 interceptions in the game. The Texas State Bobcats ran the football 22 times and racked up 50 yards which earned them an average of 2.3 yards per rushing attempt. In all, they ran 76 plays which added up to 444 yards. Overall, the Bobcats got 27 1st downs and they totaled 4 penalties for 35 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. When it comes to their defensive performance, Texas State gave up 8 catches on 18 throws totaling 103 yards, and a completion percentage of 44.4%. On the ground, the Bobcats gave up 190 yards on 49 carries allowing their opponent an average of 3.9 yards per rushing attempt allowed. In the game, they gave up 293 yards and earned 1 turnover.

The Bobcats head into this game 0-2 this season. For total yardage, they currently sit at 8th in the Sun Belt and 97th in Division 1 with 663 yards. They are one of lowest scoring teams in the nation averaging 10.5 points per game, which has them at 126th in Division 1. As a unit, they are averaging 29 yards on the ground per contest which is 11th in the conference. The Bobcats have one of the worst defenses in college football, giving up 32 points per game putting them 8th in the Sun Belt. In discussing yards on the ground, Texas State is allowing 218 yards per contest which has them at 10th in the conference and 121st in the nation. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.1 yards per carry which has them at 8th in the Sun Belt and 111th in college football overall. In total, they have allowed 436 yards rushing through 2 games. When it comes to yards through the air, the Bobcats have conceded 605 yards. Teams are completing 57.4% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 6.2 yards per attempt.

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In the last game they played, the SMU Mustangs played the North Texas Mean Green and notched a win by a score of 49-27. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Mustangs was Shane Buechele who went 21/31 with 292 yards through the air and tossed 3 TD's. He walked away from this game with no interceptions. Xavier Jones paced the team on the ground for that game. He tore off a long run of 51 yards and he ran for 3 TD's in the game. He racked up a total of 127 yards by way of 16 carries which meant he averaged 7.9 yards per run. James Proche was the receiving yardage leader by racking up 115 yards on 7 catches. He averaged 16.4 yards per reception for that game. The SMU Mustangs ran the ball a total of 39 times and racked up a total of 211 yards which earned them an average of 5.4 yards per rush. In all, they ran 70 plays for a total of 503 yards. On the day, the Mustangs racked up 25 first downs and they had a total of 3 penalties for 32 yards which is telling in terms of how disciplined they are. When discussing the defense, SMU gave up 22 completions on 38 attempts totaling 185 yards, and a completion percentage of 57.9%. For this contest, they gave up a total of 396 yards and earned 1 turnover. On the ground, the Mustangs gave up 211 yards on 42 tries giving the other team an average of 5.0 yards per carry allowed.

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The Mustangs come into this matchup with a record of 2-0. In terms of offensive proficiency, the Mustangs have one of the most prolific offenses in D-1. SMU has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 179.5 rushing yards per contest, putting them 57th in Division 1. As a team, they have compiled a total of 359 rushing yards through 2 contests, so they'll look to the run game to try to keep the opponents off balance so they'll have open receivers. The Mustangs average 505.5 yards per contest overall putting them 30th in D-1 and 4th in the AAC. The Mustangs are conceding 28.5 points per game which puts them at 10th in the AAC and 92nd in the country. Their passing defense is one of the middle of the road groups in college football. They are giving up 254.5 passing yards per game. For passing yards allowed per game, the Mustangs sit in 11th in the AAC. When talking about points given up, they have allowed 57 points in total. In terms of yards rushing, they are allowing 150.5 yards per contest ranking them 77th in Division 1 and 9th in the conference. For 2019, they have conceded a total of 301 yards rushing and 1 rushing TD.

Who will win tonight's Bobcats/Mustangs college football game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take the Mustangs -17

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