West Virginia Mountaineers at Marshall Thundering Herd 2010 NCAAF Week 2 Odds, Preview, and Predictions: Doc Holiday played linebacker for the West Virginia Mountaineers and is now leading the Marshall Thundering Herd as head football coach against them Friday night at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington in the Coal Bowl. The Mountaineers have won four straight since the series resumed on three game rotation that has them playing in Morgantown, Charleston (neutral site) and this year at Marshall in Huntington. Holiday knows WVU well having been an assistant there previous to his Marshall post under current head football coach Bill Stewart and recruited many of their players. Vegas odds makers have the No. 22 West Virginia Mountaineers a -12 1/2 point favorite on the road against the Marshall Thundering Herd.
The No. 22 Mountaineers are coming off an easy win 31-0 against Coastal Carolina in their home opener, but probably not as easy as they would have liked as they did not cover and the 31 points total went UNDER. WVU was led by inexperienced sophomore quarterback Geno Smith who went 20-27 for 216 yards and a touchdown in his first career start. “I don’t want to make excuses for Geno, but this was his first complete game and he’s a sophomore,” Stewart said. “He’ll get better and he’s my guy.” Sensational running back Noel Divine ran 23 times for 111 yards and a touchdown. Vegas odds makers have Noel Divine at +1050 odds to win the Heisman Trophy.
Marshall is coming off a humbling 45-7 loss to No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus. “It’s a hell of a way to have your first game, isn’t it? Against a team like that?” Holliday said. “They’re No. 1 or No. 2 in America, picked by everybody, and they showed it tonight. They have a hell of a player at every position.” There were some bright spots as Marshall did block a field goal kick and return it for a touchdown, but it was mostly OSU all the way. Marshall Quarterback Brian Anderson went just 17 for 28 and 135 yards with an interception. Odds makers at BetUS have the over/under for the total score at 47 points combined of the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Well you have a WVU team that underperformed against a lesser opponent and a MU team that got beat up by a better team so the natural decision would be to go with the favorite WVU. I predict a close game like last year so take the points and bet Marshall to win. We Are, Marshall! Note: Rich Fritz is a Blog Writer on NSAwins.com and not a pro handicapper. For expert NCAA College Football Predictions against the vegas spreads please visit the NSAwins.com homepage for top predictions today from the National Sports Advisors.