Georgia State vs. Marshall Odds, Spread & Prediction (Thursday, October 17)

• We made our Georgia State-Marshall prediction for Thursday’s Sun Belt game
• The latest CFB betting odds favor the Thundering Herd with nine points at home
• Read the Georgia State vs. Marshall prediction and odds for Thursday Night CFB below

It’s a Sun Belt Conference showdown on Thursday night when the Georgia State Panthers (2-3, 0-2 Sun Belt) travel to Joan C. Edwards Stadium to face the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) to compete on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

The oddsmakers are siding with the Thundering Herd at home and pegging them as favorites. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and you can watch all the action on ESPN2.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and give our prediction for Georgia State vs. Marshall.

Georgia State vs Marshall odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook as of October 17.

Oddsmakers have named Marshall as a nine-point favorite, with moneyline odds set at -340 for the Thundering Herd and +270 for the underdog Panthers. If you want to bet the spread, you need to bet $110 to win $100 on both sides.

The implied probability based on these odds suggests that Marshall has a 77.3% chance of winning outright, while Georgia State has a 27% chance of pulling off the upset.

Given their perfect 3-0 home record this season, it’s no surprise that Marshall is the favorite. The Thundering Herd have also been a bettor’s dream as they have covered the spread in five of their six games so far. But the Panthers have a strong offense to make this game closer than the odds suggest.

The over/under for this contest is set at 51.5 points, with both sides of the bet at odds of -110. This line indicates that bookies are expecting a shootout, likely due to Georgia State’s pass-happy offense and Marshall’s balanced attack.

Panthers betting analysis

If you’re looking for an explosive offense, look no further than the Georgia State Panthers. Head coach Dell McGee’s squad runs an Air Raid-style offense that ranks 20th nationally in speed of play and passes the ball on 62% of its offensive shots.

Quarterback Christian Veilleux leads the attack, completing 58.5% of his passes for 1,284 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions. While Veilleux struggled in the team’s recent loss to Old Dominion, he has the weapons to bounce back in a big way.

Christian Veilleux game-winning touchdown pass! 269 ​​yards 3 touchdowns

My brother for life!! Ball out

pic.twitter.com/mbOyGM3yCc

— LandonTengwall (@landon_tengwall) September 15, 2024

Speaking of weapons, keep an eye on wide receiver Ted Hurst, who has been Veilleux’s go-to guy this season. Hurst has 25 receptions for 434 yards and five touchdowns, making him a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

Tight end Dorian Fleming was also a reliable target with 21 catches for 234 yards and two scores. In the backfield, Freddie Brock was the primary rusher, carrying the ball 61 times for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers struggled, ranking 106th nationally in total defense. They were particularly vulnerable against the run, allowing 174.8 rush yards per game (103rd).

Thundering Herd Betting Analysis

The Marshall Thundering Herd rode a two-headed monster at quarterback this season, with Stone Earle and Braylon Braxton splitting time at center. Earle completed 63 of 115 passes for 634 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions while also running for 207 yards.

Braxton was more efficient through the air, completing 25 of 41 passes for 364 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. He also recorded 203 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

.@braylon_braxton ➡️ @tpayner05 pic.twitter.com/gLpIhH9NxV

— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) October 13, 2024

But the real star of the show for Marshall was running back AJ Turner, who was an absolute beast on the ground. Turner rushed for 540 yards and two touchdowns on just 56 carries, averaging a staggering 9.6 yards per attempt.

In the receiving game, Christian Fitzpatrick was the top target with 20 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, Marshall had some issues, scoring 27.3 points per game (91st in the country) and 395.3 yards per game (97th). They struggled greatly against the run, giving up 174.5 yards per game on the ground (102nd).

Georgia State vs Marshall Prediction

For my Georgia State-Marshall prediction, I’m assuming the Panthers will cover the nine-point gap. While the Thundering Herd were dominant at home, I think the nine-point spread is a bit too generous due to the Panthers’ powerful passing attack and the possibility of a shootout.

Georgia State’s offense, led by Veilleux and Hurst, has the firepower necessary to keep this game closer than the odds suggest, especially if they can exploit Marshall’s vulnerability against the run. Let’s not forget that the Panthers upset Vanderbilt earlier in the season and proved they can hang with the big dogs.

While Marshall’s balanced offense could put Georgia State in trouble, I expect the Panthers to do just enough to keep this game within the nine-point range. It wouldn’t shock me if the Thundering Herd pulled out the win, but I think Georgia State has the smart money to cover what should be a tremor.

CFB selection on Thursday evening: