Georgia State at Idaho Odds, Expert Pick & TV Info

The season concludes on Saturday for mid-major program Georgia State as it visits Sun Belt Conference rival Idaho, which will have one more game as it has qualified for a bowl. The Vandals could finish as high as a tie for second in the Sun Belt and they are favored here on college football odds.

Georgia State at Idaho Odds, Expert Pick & TV Info

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When: Saturday, Dec. 3, 5 PM ET Where: Kibbie Dome, Moscow, Id. TV: none Opening NCAA Football Lines: Idaho -6.5 (53)

Why Bet on Georgia State?

The Panthers (3-9) fired their coach earlier this year. That would be Trent Miles, who went 9-38 at Georgia State, including a 2-8 mark this season. Georgia State made its first bowl game last season but dropped its first five games this season. Wide receivers coach Tim Lappano has served as the interim coach. It’s a fairly promising job being in downtown Atlanta and earlier in November the school received approval to purchase Turner Field for $22.8 million and turn it into a new venue for its home football games. Georgia State beat rival Georgia Southern last week. It marked the Panthers’ final home game of the season and last in the Georgia Dome, which is scheduled to be demolished next spring. Conner Manning passed for 318 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, and Glenn Smith scored touchdowns rushing and receiving as Georgia State improved to 2-5 in the Sun Belt Conference. Manning completed eight of his first 10 passes as Georgia State scored touchdowns on its first three possessions to take a 20-0 lead eight minutes into the game. The Panthers never trailed. Smith finished with seven catches for 65 yards and five rushes for a team-best 37 yards. “It was important for the coaches and me to send our seniors out with bragging rights in this series,” Lappano said. “The young guys are going to get to have three or four more years, but the seniors aren’t.” Georgia State is the only FBS team that has not allowed an offensive play (rushing or passing) of 50 yards or longer all season. The longest pass play allowed by the Panthers covered 37 yards, while the longest run was 46 yards. The Panthers rank sixth in the FBS in pass efficiency defense and ninth in passing yards allowed (177.2) while leading the Sun Belt in both categories. Georgia State and Idaho play for the first time. Idaho is the alma mater of Lappano. The native of Spokane, Wash., and 1983 graduate began his coaching career as the Vandals’ running backs coach (1982-85) under Dennis Erickson. In his five-year stint as tight ends and wide receivers coach with the Detroit Lions (2009-13), Lappano coached on the same offensive staff with Scott Linehan, the father of Idaho quarterback Matt Linehan.

Why Bet on Idaho?

The Vandals (7-4) beat South Alabama 38-31 last week. Sophomore running back Isaiah Saunders had the hot hand with 23 carries for a career-high 142 yards and three touchdowns. Senior receiver Callen Hightower, back to full strength for the first time in nearly two months, led the receivers with five catches for 111 yards as junior quarterback Matt Linehan completed 17 of 34 passes for 231 touchdowns. The game came down to the final drive of the fourth quarter. A defensive stand that started with South Alabama pinned to its own four by an Austin Rehkow punt wound up with Russell Siavii batting down a pass in the end zone. The Jaguars drove into Idaho territory to set up a succession of plays the Vandals successfully thwarted time and again. Rehkow’s five PATs pushed him into third on Idaho’s career list with 123. His 126 career attempts with his career percentage of .976 both are fifth. He moved into second on Idaho’s all-time scoring list with 324 career points. He’s second only to running back Sherriden May, who scored 366 from 1991-93. Rehkow is the Sun Belt Conference leader in scoring average (9.1) and field goals per game (2.09). He’s second in field goal percentage (.920) and third in punting average (42.8). “There’s so much confidence in this locker room, in this building at this point,” said Linehan, who threw for two scores but was intercepted three times. “It’s exciting to see that no matter what is going on, we’re confident we can win ballgames.” Idaho’s seven wins are its most since 2009 and it is 5-0 in games decided by 10 points or less and have come up clutch late in the fourth quarter and overtime in one-score games four times this season. A victory here would give the Vandals eight wins, their most before a bowl since 1998.

Georgia State at Idaho Expert Pick: Idaho

Vandals are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 conference games. Under is 13-4 in Panthers last 17 games overall. Take Idaho and the under in NCAA betting.