Tonight’s South Alabama vs. Marshall game has the SportsLine Projection Model making a super bold call, projecting a combined 56 points, way under the posted 66.5 over/under line. This isn’t just a guess either, the model says the Under hits 70% of the time in simulations for this Week 8 Sun Belt Conference showdown.
Jaguar Surge vs. Thundering Herd Struggles
The South Alabama Jaguars are rolling right now, looking for their third win in a row. They just torched Arkansas State 56-49 in Week 7, bringing their record to 4-2 overall and a perfect 2-0 in the Sun Belt. That puts them tied for first in the Sun Belt West. The only catch is their road record, sitting at 1-2 this season. On the other side, the Marshall Thundering Herd are in a slump, dropping their last two games, including a 27-21 loss against Coastal Carolina. They’re 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the Sun Belt, but they do have a decent 2-1 record on their home turf at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. If you remember their only previous matchup in 2023, South Alabama shut out Marshall 28-0.
Quarterback Questions and Offensive Outlook
A big reason for this low-scoring prediction could be the situation under center. For South Alabama, junior quarterback Jared Hollins has been steady, completing 60.9% of his passes for 855 yards, seven touchdowns, and just two interceptions this season. He’s been solid. Marshall, though? They’ve got a full-blown quarterback competition. Coach Tony Gibson has an open battle between senior Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, senior Zion Turner, and sophomore Khalil Wilkins to decide who even starts tonight. That kind of uncertainty can absolutely lead to a less explosive offense, which definitely plays into the model’s thinking for an Under.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the Jaguars are coming in as 2.5-point favorites, with their money line at -138 against Marshall’s +121. But honestly, with the SportsLine model hammering the Under 66.5 points at a 70% clip, and projecting only 56 combined points, your eyes should be glued to that total tonight. The Under even hit in their last meeting and in six of Marshall’s last ten games. Keep an eye on those offenses and how that QB battle plays out for Marshall.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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