Marshall Thundering Herd Set to Face Georgia State Panthers in Crucial Conference Matchup

The Georgia State Panthers, currently holding a record of 2-3 overall and 0-2 within the Sun Belt Conference, are traveling to face the Marshall Thundering Herd, who stand at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The game is scheduled for Thursday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, with kickoff at 7 p.m. ET, and it will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The Panthers are entering the game following back-to-back defeats, most recently a 21-14 loss to Old Dominion as a 3-point favorite at home. Quarterback Christian Veilleux completed 22 of 40 passes for 211 yards, including one touchdown and one interception. Wide receiver Ted Hurst made a notable contribution with six receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown.

On the opposing side, Marshall experienced a setback after a two-game winning streak, succumbing to a narrow 24-23 defeat against Georgia Southern. During that game, quarterback Stone Earle completed nine of 17 passes for 97 yards, while Braylon Braxton, also at quarterback, completed nine of 12 passes with two touchdowns.

Despite a recent dip in form, Georgia State still boasts a strong passing game, ranking third in their conference with an average of 266.6 passing yards per game. Quarterback Christian Veilleux has been a standout performer, ranking fourth in the Sun Belt with an average of 256.8 yards per game.

Marshall’s running game is a key component of their offensive strategy, averaging 5.4 yards per rush attempt, a potential advantage against Georgia State’s defense, which allows an average of 4.6 yards per rush. The Thundering Herd are favored by 9 points in the latest odds from SportsLine, with the over/under set at 51.5 points.

Recent betting trends suggest Marshall has been strong against the spread, posting a 5-0-1 record this season. Conversely, Georgia State has not covered the spread in four of their last five games, facing significant margins of defeat in their recent losses.

SportsLine’s model indicates a leaning towards the total points going under, projecting a combined total of 51 points, while one side of the spread is predicted to prevail 60% of the time.