Marshall vs Louisiana Picks: Herd’s Strong Underdog Value on December 7

The Sun Belt Championship Game features a battle between two of the most potent offenses in the nation. The Marshall Thundering Herd, who have plenty of momentum, visit the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns in what could be a sneaky bet to be the most fun matchup. However, despite our excitement, our college football best bet is on the total. And we see a potential upset in the making.

AJ TO THE HOUSE !!! pic.twitter.com/u8eINEAQp0

— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) October 18, 2024

Marshall vs Louisiana Game Information

• Game: Marshall (9-3, 7-1 SBC) vs Louisiana (10-2, 7-1)
• Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA
• Marshall vs Louisiana Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Check out college football news before making a bet on the Sun Belt Conference Championship game.

2 Marshall vs Louisiana Picks for the SBC Title Game

1. Bet Over 56.5

The consensus here is to bet the over as we have two high-powered offenses. These teams average over 31 points per game. The totals have also gone over in four of their last six games. We hate to get this obvious, but we’re also betting online on the over. While consistently running the football can eat plenty of clock, it can also lead to a ton of scoring.

Marshall averages 200.4 rushing yards per game while ULL puts up 180.7. The latter also spends nearly 32 minutes on the field and ranks fourth in the nation with 6.9 yards per play. That means the Cajuns are adept at keeping the ball and scoring all over the opposition. They’ve scared 37+ points in three of their last four games. Twice they scored 51+.

The Thundering Herd have had issues stopping opponents from scoring. Per Marshall vs Louisiana betting tips, the Herd have allowed 33+ in their last two games. And the teams they neutralize are some of the worst at scoring, like Southern Mississippi or Louisiana-Monroe (ULM). Against any decent offense, Marshall yields points. Lots of them.

On top of that, both Marshall and ULL are adept at forcing turnovers. They average around 1.5 turnovers per game, which adds to three TOs here. Turnovers can kill drives but it can also lead to points.

𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗦𝗜𝗫.@Calebkibodi takes his first career interception the distance for @RaginCajunsFB. ☀️🏈 pic.twitter.com/JiIfFUbXmi

— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) September 6, 2024

Louisiana-Lafayette is a bit better at stopping opponents. It ranks in the top 50 in most defensive metrics and gives up just 22.8 points. But it does have a Kryptonite in its rushing defense, allowing 152.7 per game. It just happens this is Marshall’s bread and butter.

The Ragin’ Cajuns have also given up at least 23 points in their last three games. And any team playing on their level or better has breached their defenses. The over is the bet here in NCAAF picks and predictions. Don’t overthink it: Bet it while it’s at 56.5.

Bet This Pick: Marshall vs Louisiana-Lafayette Over 56.5 (-110)

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2. Marshall (+5½) Worth ATS Bet

If this was like an MMA fight, it’d be like two fighters with similar styles, albeit the favorite is a “bit better.” That’s key for us to take the underdog NCAAF pick, which is Marshall taking 5.5 points. The Herd have won and covered their last two games as an underdog. Overall, they are 10-1-1 against the spread (ATS) this season and 6-2 ATS in conference games.

Louisiana-Lafayette is also just 2-3 ATS as a home favorite this season. The Cajuns have also given up plenty of points against decent opponents. They won many of these games due to the strength of their offense. See the games against ULM and Troy. But the loss to South Alabama, as evidenced in our ill-fated parlay, was telling.

Marshall has been on a roll and has a style that can give the Cajuns issues. The Herd can run the football, and while they also have a tough time stopping it, their turnover-forcing defense can make up for it. What we see happening is a back-and-forth match that could go down to the final quarter.

We’re taking 5.5 points with the underdogs college football picks ATS.

Bet this Pick: Marshall Thundering Herd +5.5 (-110)

Question of the Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.