This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State Best Bets
Get in on the college football action for 2023 with ESPN BET promo code ROTO featuring a $250 bonus bet offer! RotoWire has plenty of college football betting tools and info to keep you in the loop this season. From the latest college football odds to college football futures and Heisman odds, we have you covered.
Two teams looking to cap off strong seasons meet in Orlando, FL for the 2023 Cure Bowl. Miami (Ohio) won the MAC title earlier this month and already has 11 wins on the season, while Appalachian State won eight games and lost in the conference championship game to Troy.
Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State Betting Odds for The Cure Bowl
Spread: Appalachian State -6.5 (BetMGM Sportsbook)
Total: Over/Under 44.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Moneyline: -245 Appalachian State (DraftKings Sportsbook); +210 Miami (Ohio) (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Jump in on bowl season with a BetMGM bonus code sporting a $1,500 bonus bet offer.
Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State Betting Picks for The Cure Bowl
As mentioned earlier, both of these teams are coming off strong seasons, but Miami (Ohio) finished on a high note while Appalachian State stumbled in the conference championship. Neither team comes from a power-5 conference, so it's difficult to say which team comes from the stronger conference, but the Sun Belt looked to be more top-heavy than the MAC this season.
As is the case with all bowl games, there's more than the stats to look at, as player movement plays a large role this time of year, and this game has a big player missing. That player is Miami (Ohio) QB Aveon Smith, who entered the transfer portal but has yet to land in a new spot. The fact that he hasn't found a new team yet still leaves the door open to play in this game, but considering the line movement (four points in favor of App State), I have to imagine that Miami (Ohio) is moving forward without him.
Smith not playing is a huge blow for the RedHawks, not because of his arm, but because of his legs. A lot of the RedHawks' success on the ground lately can be attributed to Smith's ability to not only run himself but also draw attention away from any of the several RBs that Miami (Ohio) utilizes. Without Smith, Miami (Ohio) is not only one-dimensional but also limited within that one dimension.
Appalachian State struggled in its most recent game against Troy, but it's not like Troy was a pushover; the Trojans won the Sun Belt conference and 11 games overall, so I'll give the Mountaineers a pass on that one. Appalachian State brings in a balanced offense that averaged over 34 points per game this season, so scoring is usually not an issue for the Mountaineers. The defense held up pretty well also, but they had some issues stopping the run.
Miami (Ohio) will look to exploit the weak run defense of App State, but without Smith, I'm not sure it can do that effectively. As for App State, the Mountaineers will likely struggle to get a lot going against one of the better defenses in the country. As such, I think the best play in this game is the under with a lean towards Appalachian State as the side. We also have some potential weather for this game, which would only strengthen this pick.
Miami (Ohio) vs Appalachian State Expert Pick: Under 44.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Get a piece of the action during the 2023 bowl season with a DraftKings Promo Code for $150 instantly after a $5 bet, plus a no-sweat same-game parlay every day!
Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State Predictions for The Cure Bowl
The current forecast shows a 98% chance of rain on Saturday in Orlando, with wins around 16 MPH. We don't know if the worst of it will occur during game time, but if it does, these teams will struggle to score. They should struggle to score even without the weather, as Miami (Ohio) has a stout defense and not much offense to speak of.
With that in mind, I'm expecting Miami (Ohio) to start with a run-heavy package and stick with it until very late in the game unless it gets way behind early. Still, I'm not expecting that to happen because of the RedHawks' defense combined with the weather.
It will be an ugly game here, one that Appalachian State should have control of most of the day. Expect a one-score game most of the way, and perhaps App State gets some separation when Miami (Ohio) is forced to throw, and the inevitable mistakes happen.
