Pinnacle +17½ +107 BET365 -18 -110 SportsInteraction -18 -110 BetOnline -18 -110 Bookmaker -18 -110

Posted at 10:45 AM EST. 

GEORGIA STATE -2½ over Army

LEHIGH +17½ over Villanova

Murray Goodman Stadium - Bethlehem, PA

12:00 PM EST. Maybe we're just jonesing for some college hoops, but this game on the gridiron between two schools more known for their prowess on the hardwood was screaming at us from the board. First, how can a team like Villanova, even with its #20 ranking in the FCS Top-25, be favored in a range such as this?

The last time we saw the Wildcats, they posted a modest 2-2 record in the pandemic shortened 2020 season, however, expectations are high for Mark Ferrante's side, as they have been pegged as Colonial Athletic Association title contenders. With those lofty expectations comes a premium attached, which is something we’re always on the lookout for. When you consider the relatively porous defense that the Wildcats sported in 2020 (75th in pass defense and 61st in total defense), covering this inflated price might make for a long day at the office.

Lehigh gave up just four touchdowns during its three-game spring schedule, which should bode well for coach Tom Gilmore and his young Mountain Hawks. Junior quarterback Cross Wilkinson saw improvement in the offense game over game and said the team's confidence is at an all-time high. The market may not see those forward strides, as Lehigh has not fared well against Villanova over the years, dropping eight straight to the Wildcats. Do those past results matter much here? No, but they will no doubt influence the market.

While they'll be masked, Murray Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem will be packed for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. While not all things are equal, we saw how impactful a ruckus home crowd can be with live crowds in both Virginia Tech and Charlotte willing their teams to win and playing a role late when their school's needed a stop. The total in this game is one of the lower totals on the menu at 43½. That also favors taking back a pile of points for a home underdog that figure to play this game at a snail's pace. 

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