After thrashing VMI in their season opener, the Marshall Thundering Herd take to the road for the first time in 2019 when they take on the host 24th-ranked Boise State Broncos on Friday. The Herd rolled up 620 total yards in the opener, tied for ninth-best in the country, while the Broncos gained 621 total yards, eighth-best, in a 36-31 come-from-behind win over Florida State. Friday's game from Albertsons Stadium in Boise is slated to start at 9 p.m. ET. Marshall is 0-1 all-time against Boise State and 1-2 against Mountain West foes. Boise State is a 13-point favorite in the latest Boise State vs. Marshall odds after the spread dipped as low as 11, while the over-under for total points scored is 57. Before making any Boise State vs. Marshall picks and college football predictions of your own, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. Over the past four years, this proprietary computer model has generated a jaw-dropping $4,530 profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated spread picks.
The model enters Week 2 of the 2019 college football season on a blistering 52-31 run on all top-rated picks. It also called Auburn (-3.5) covering against Oregon and Alabama (-34) covering against Duke in Week 1. Anybody who has been following it is way up.
Now the model has dialed in on Marshall vs. Boise State. We can tell you it is leaning under, and it's also generated an against the spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. That one is only available at SportsLine.
The model knows Broncos, who came from behind to defeat Florida State 36-31 in the season-opener, tied for first in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference with Utah State at 7-1 and were 10-3 overall in 2018. Boise State has compiled a 450-167-2 (.729) all-time record with 19 conference championships, qualifying for 19 bowl games. The Broncos are 12-6 in those games, last earning a trip to the First Responder Bowl in 2018 against Boston College.
The Broncos got a huge boost from a pair of wide receivers in their season-opening win. Sophomore Khalil Shakir caught eight passes for 78 yards and one touchdown against Florida State, while junior CT Thomas reeled in five passes for 103 yards, including a 36-yarder. For Thomas' career, he has 61 receptions for 759 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in all 14 games in 2017 and all 13 in 2018.
But just because the Broncos made an impressive comeback in their season-opener does not guarantee they will cover the Boise State vs. Marshall spread on Friday.
That's because Marshall, which tied for second in Conference USA's East Division at 6-2 and 9-4 overall, finished 2018 with a 38-20 win over South Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. The Thundering Herd have compiled a 593-545-47 all-time record with 14 bowl appearances, going 12-2 in those games, including seven straight victories and 12 of their last 13.
In the season-opener, two receivers were a big reason for Marshall's success. Freshman wide receiver Corey Gammage made a lasting first impression, catching five passes for 82 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown. Senior receiver Artie Henry had two receptions for 56 yards, including a highlight-reel 51-yard touchdown against VMI. For his career, he has 19 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior college transfer, he made an immediate impact in 2018, seeing action in 12 games. He tied for fifth on the team with 17 receptions.
So who wins Marshall vs. Boise State? And which side of the spread can you bank on in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Marshall vs. Boise State spread to jump on Friday, all from the advanced model that's up more than $4,500 on its top-rated college football picks, and find out.
