Thursday Night Football indeed!
College football has a one-game slate on Thursday, with Arizona State and Texas State facing off in a key nonconference game as both teams look to keep their respective undefeated seasons alive.
Both offenses have looked strong this season under their new second-year head coaches. Arizona State dominated the first two games with Kenny Dillingham’s plays and Texas State fought for a College Football Playoff spot under GJ Kinne.
What influence will the offensive power of each team have on the player market?
Here are our top three tips.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Jordyn Tyson UNDER 45.5 receiving yards
Arizona State has played from the front for most of this season, so Tyson has played just 45 total snaps this season. He has hauled in six catches on 13 attempts for 56 yards as the Sun Devils tried to establish the run early.
Even though Arizona State will throw more passes in this game, Sam Leavitt has not proven to be a frequent passer yet and there is little certainty that Tyson is the primary pass receiver in this offense based on a small sample size.
Tyson was outscored by the likes of Xaviery Guillory in both games and by slot receiver Melquan Stovall in Week 2, so I’m not sure he has the volume to break that mark.
Kole Wilson OVER 53.5 Receiving Yards
Wilson was a key part of GJ Kinne’s high-powered offense in 2023, managing 697 yards on 61 catches and eight touchdowns. This season, the team gained reinforcements at quarterback in Jordan McCloud and Wilson is set to have a great season.
Despite having just one catch for 18 yards against UTSA, Wilson had seven catches for 65 yards in Week 1. Last season, Wilson exceeded that mark in seven of 13 games, averaging more than 11 yards per catch.
Wilson’s passes were 65% completed from nine yards and beyond (including behind the line of scrimmage) as he was the safety reserve of this fast-hitting offense that looks for explosive plays. Arizona State has been prone to big plays, as evidenced by Mississippi State’s 80-yard touchdown last week.
Wilson has the potential to make big plays and can make a big play on planned short yardages.
Jordan McCloud OVER 15.5 rushing yards
McCloud is more than capable with his legs and ran for 30 yards six times and scored two touchdowns in his team’s stunning win over UTSA.
In a crucial game of the season, I trust McCloud to use his legs instead of creating potential turnovers. The senior quarterback has a tendency to take sacks but is a threat in the running game. Last season, he ran for 311 yards, including three games in which he rushed for 60 yards on the ground.
Sacks can play a role in that total, but the Sun Devils only had two last week against Mississippi State’s fast-hitting offense. That number is low enough that I’m still confident McCloud will surpass that mark.
The game odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.
Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on Betting stamp @rw33
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