The Appalachian State Mountaineers will take on the North Texas Mean Green in the first-ever Myrtle Beach Bowl, on Monday, December 21, at the Brooks Stadium, Conway, South Carolina.
Both the North Texas Mean Green and the Appalachian State Mountaineers have not met prior to this game, and as such, this will be their first-ever meeting. North Texas snatched a win in their final regular-season game with UTEP, finishing with an overall record of 4-5. The Appalachian State finished the year with an 8-3 record, having lost two of its final four games, and were narrowly edged out of another Sun Belt Crown.
Myrtle Beach Bowl Betting Odds
Odds from FanDuel as of Sunday, December 20 (10:20 am ET)
Money Line: Appalachian State -1050 | North Texas +630 (at FanDuel)
Point Spread: Appalachian State -19.5 (-108) | North Texas +19.5 (-112) (at FanDuel)
Total Over/Under: Under 62.5 (-110) | Over 62.5 (-110)
The North Texas Mean Green Largely Pegged as Underdogs
The North Texas Mean Green secured a spot at the Myrtle Beach Bowl after defeating UTEP by a 45-43 shootout victory. QB Austin Aune passed for 302 yards, completing 16 out of 29 passes made, with five touchdowns. Jaelon Darden registered 8 catches for 173 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the all-time leaders in North Texas history in most receiving categories. After the game against UTEP, Darden declared for the NFL Draft.
In their last nine games, Darden nipped 74 catches for 1,190 yards and 19 touchdowns, with Deandre Torrey and Oscar Adaway III churning a combined 186 carries for 1,131 yards and 8 touchdowns.
North Texas has averaged 35.1 points per game this season, having one of the most prolific total offenses in the league, with 515 yards per game. The defense, on the other hand, has been terrible, allowing 41.3 points per game and 509.4 yards per game this season.
The availability of Jaelon Darden and Cam Johnson for the Monday game is in question.
The Appalachian State Mountaineers Secured an Important Comeback Against Georgia State
Although they were trailing at halftime by 17-7, the Appalachian State Mountaineers closed the Sun Belt season with a victory against the Georgia State, last Saturday, by a 34-26 scoreline. Jalen Virgil created the momentum with a 10-yard kickoff return, and Nate Noel broke a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play of the Mountaineers to end the season with an 8-3 record. In the game against Georgia State, Zac Thomas threw for 208 yards completing 18 out of 29 passes made with two touchdowns and an interception, while Nate Noel rushed for 103 yards.
The Appalachian State averages 31.8 points per game this season, with an average of 435.1 yards per game, which is their lowest in the past four years. Their defense has been incredible this season and is responsible for carrying the team, allowing only 19.3 points per game and 314.2 yards per game.
Myrtle Beach Bowl Betting Pick
This Appalachian State Mountaineers team isn’t the best we have seen in the past years, but they are a better side than the North Texas team. Playing against North Texas, a team with one of the worst defenses in the league, the Appalachian State team is expected to defeat them. For the past three seasons, the Appalachian State has won its bowl game by at least two touchdowns, with 34-0 and 45-13 scorelines, and we expect them to do the same and more against North Texas.
Pick: Appalachian State Mountaineers to win (-1050) at FanDuel