Charlotte vs. Appalachian State Betting Preview – College Football, September 12, 2020

If Charlotte’s goal is to win as many games as possible, their early-season schedule certainly isn’t doing them any favors. The 49ers kick off the year at Kidd Brewer Stadium against the defending champs of the Sun Belt Conference, and then they go on the road to face a really good Tar Heels team.

Flip the coin and the Mountaineers have their eyes set on an undefeated season and a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Will this one get out of hand early, or can the Niners keep it close “on the mountain?”

Let’s find out by taking a look at a Charlotte vs. Appalachian State prediction.

This 2020 matchup marks the third consecutive year the 49ers and Mountaineers will clash. App State crushed Charlotte in 2018 (45-9) and handled them with ease a season ago (56-41).

It’s pretty evident these two universities aren’t on a level playing field – which is backed up by the betting data as well. The Mountaineers covered the spread a healthy 64.3% of the time last season. Charlotte was just 6-7 ATS.

This line is jumping around between 19.5 and 20, so be sure to shop multiple bookies to lock in the price that suits your prediction.

In terms of feeling good about a Charlotte vs. Appalachian State pick, let’s break down the matchup first.

Appalachian State waved goodbye to standout running back Darrynton Evans (drafted by the Tennessee Titans), but don’t expect any sort of drop-off with the offensive efficiency. Marcus Williams is more than capable of carrying the load while Daetrich Harrington is a nice change-of-pace option.

Rising senior QB Zac Thomas has been selected by ESPN as one of the 15 most exciting players in college football, and he might just be one of the top-5 quarterbacks in all of America. Thomas Hennigan returns to lead a quality receiving corps, but it’s a group that would have been a lot better had preseason first-team all-Sun Belt WR Corey Sutton not decided to opt-out.

pic.twitter.com/irUxTlE5KA

— Corey Sutton (@coreysutton1997) September 1, 2020

The Appalachian State defense will look a bit different with no Jordan Fehr and now Akeem Davis-Gaither, but stud defensive back Shaun Jolly Jr. will be roaming the secondary. All in all, this is a very experienced bunch who will be looking to throw the hammer down on the 49ers.

Remember, first-year head coach Shawn Clark has been on App State’s staff since 2016. This program shouldn’t skip a beat.

Charlotte HC Will Healy enters his second year guiding the Niners, and like Clark, has an ultra-dependable dual-threat QB to lean on.

Chris Reynolds threw for 2,564 yards and 22 touchdowns while amassing 767 yards and six more scores on the ground. Reynolds has the luxury of welcoming back Victor Tucker, Cameron Dollar, and Tyler Ringwood – the leading trio of receivers from last year’s squad.

It’s worth noting that offensive coordinator Alex Atkins bolted for a gig at Florida State, and the team has to replace their rock-star running back, Benny LeMay. QB coach Mark Carney takes over as OC and Northern Illinois transfer Tre Harbison fills a major void in the backfield.

The Charlotte football program made serious strides after finishing above .500 for the first time in school history. At the same time, they’re looking like a middle-of-the-pack team in what is a mediocre C-USA.

The Mountaineers are a threat to run the table, dominate the Sun Belt, and make some serious noise coming out of the G5 Conferences

No fans in Boone might keep the 49ers in the game for a little longer than normal, but there’s plenty of time on the clock for App State to run away and hide.

Head to BetOnline where you can latch on at 19.5 points with reduced juice.