The Appalachian State Mountaineers’ upset of Texas A&M last Saturday is their fourth win as 10+ point underdogs since 2007. It is also the Mountaineers’ sixth time covering the spread in those games. App St. has had America’s heart since 2007, beating Michigan as a 33-point underdog.
While North Carolinians cannot yet place bets on App State at the best college football betting sites in NC, that will change in 2024. Online sports betting will go live in North Carolina in the first half of 2024.
Appalachian State History as 10+ Point Underdogs
Appalachian State was an FCS program when they beat Michigan in 2007. Some might say that, coupled with their success at the FCS level and that their upset of the Wolverines was nationally televised, was a springboard for App St. to move to the FBS level.
App St. has frequently been so good that it is rarely a 10+ point underdog anymore. In fact, the Texas A&M game was the Mountaineer’s first time since 2018 as a 10+ point underdog. Well, they proved the 18-point spread wrong in a big way. Just a week earlier, against another Power Five school, North Carolina, the Mountaineers were a slight favorite.
App St. has been great in recent history, covering the spread in four out of their last five games as 10+ point underdogs. In that run of games, they have also won two straight up.
| DATE | OPPONENT | POINT SPREAD | FINAL SCORE | ATS RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10, 2022 | Texas A&M | -18 | Appalachian State 17, Texas A&M 14 | W |
| Sept. 1, 2018 | Penn State | -24 | Penn State 45, Appalachian State 38 | W |
| Sept. 1, 2016 | Tennessee | -21.5 | Tennessee 20, Appalachian State 13 | W |
| Sept. 12, 2015 | Clemson | -18.5 | Clemson 41, Appalachian State 10 | L |
| Nov. 15, 2014 | Arkansas State | -15.5 | Appalachian State 37, Arkansas State 32 | W |
| Sept. 25, 2014 | Georgia Southern | -16.5 | Georgia Southern 34, Appalachian State 14 | L |
| Aug. 30, 2014 | Michigan | -29 | Michigan 52, Appalachian State 14 | L |
| Nov. 9, 2013 | Georgia | -40 | Georgia 45, Appalachian State 9 | W |
| Sept. 1, 2012 | East Carolina | -14.5 | East Carolina 35, Appalachian State 13 | L |
| Sept. 3, 2011 | Virginia Tech | -26 | Virginia Tech 66, Appalachian State 13 | L |
| Sept. 1, 2007 | Michigan | -33 | Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32 | W |
Wager in person: Behind the scenes at North Carolina’s newest retail sportsbook
Appalachian State Upcoming Potential 10+ Point Underdogs Games
As mentioned, last weekend’s game against Texas A&M was the Mountaineers’ first game in four years to have NC college football odds cast App State as double-digit dogs. Looking at the rest of their schedule, there are no games that jump out where App St. is likely to be a double-digit underdog.
App St. always schedules big games out of conference, and it may be next season before we see any other 10+ point lines with the Mountaineers not being the favorite. Here are a few games in the coming years in which App St. could potentially be double-digit underdogs.
2023:
Sept. 16 at North Carolina
2024:
Sept. 7 at Clemson
Sept. 14 at East Carolina
2025:
Sept. 6 at NC State
date TBA at South Carolina
2026:
Sept. 5 at East Carolina
Sept. 26 at NC State
2027:
Sept. 11 at South Carolina
All these games are focused on future non-conference games that have been announced. Other games could be added in the non-conference, and in the crazy world of college football conference shuffling, it wouldn’t necessarily be a shock to see App St., with their recent success, join a bigger conference like the ACC or Big 12.
This is all conjecture, of course, and even in the games mentioned, there is no guarantee the Mountaineers will be big underdogs. It is just a possibility. With their success against the big point spreads, it would not be a shock to see odds makers put out more conservative lines.
ESPN College GameDay Coming to Boone
With the big upset of Texas A&M, the Mountaineers have garnered some national attention. College Gameday is coming to town for Appalachian State’s potentially biggest conference home game this season as they host Troy on Saturday, Sept. 17. It is incredibly rare for Gameday to come to a non-Power Five school.
Not counting games in week 0 or games after the regular season, College Gameday has gone to a non-Power Five only twice in the last four seasons. So, saying this is a big deal for App St. is an understatement.
This week though, the Mountaineers find themselves as a 12.5-point favorite. With the tables turned, can App St. cover the spread as double-digit favorites? The Mountaineers are 29-1 straight up in their last 30 games as 10-point favorites and 15-13-2 against the spread. History says that App St. is a pretty solid bet.
AP Photo/Sam Craft
About the Author
