The 2024 NCAA college football season kicks off on Saturday with a Week 0 lineup featuring four games, including a notable contest where the Montana State Bobcats from the FCS will face off against the New Mexico Lobos of the FBS. Last season, Montana State finished with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 performance in the Big Sky Conference, ending their playoff run with a narrow 35-34 overtime defeat to North Dakota State. Conversely, New Mexico concluded the 2023 season with a 4-8 record, including a 2-6 mark in the Mountain West Conference. This meeting marks the third ever between the two teams, their first since a 1947 Harbor Bowl that ended in a 13-13 tie.
The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM. Despite Montana State being an FCS team, they have been established as 12.5-point favorites in the betting odds, with an over/under of 53.5 points. Montana State is positioned as a -550 favorite on the money line, making them the first double-digit FCS favorites against an FBS team since 2013. Before making any predictions about the game, SportsLine analyst Emory Hunt’s insights should be considered.
Hunt, who has been analyzing football at all levels since 2007 and previously played as a running back at Louisiana-Lafayette, holds a solid track record. He finished last year with a 93-78-5 record (+777) on college football picks, and those who followed his advice saw substantial gains.
Hunt has turned his focus to the Montana State vs. New Mexico game, where he has locked in his predictions. College football bettors can check out the latest odds and lines as follows:
– Spread: Montana State -12.5
– Over/under: 53.5 points
– Money line: Montana State -550, New Mexico +400
For Montana State, they have not won against an FBS opponent in their last 13 attempts. New Mexico has an impressive history against FCS teams, boasting a 20-3 record and winning their last nine meetings.
Reasons Montana State could cover the spread include their top-tier offense, which ranked second in the FCS for points per game (39.9) and third in yards per game (473.1) last season. They scored at least 40 points in seven different games, highlighted by a 63-point outburst in their season opener against Utah Tech. Quarterback Tommy Mellott, who previously shared duties with Sean Chambers, completed 63% of his passes for 1,068 yards and 10 touchdowns, alongside 690 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
The Bobcats’ formidable ground game also features returning players Julius Davis and Scottre Humphrey. Davis led the team in rushing last season with 722 yards and six touchdowns after transferring from Wisconsin, while Humphrey added 433 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman.
On the other hand, New Mexico experienced a notable offensive improvement last year, averaging 27.3 points per game compared to 13.1 in 2022. They are historically successful against FCS opponents, maintaining a substantial average winning margin against them. Devon Dampier is stepping in as the starting quarterback this season after a promising freshman year where he threw for 525 yards and ran for 328 yards with four rushing scores. With top rusher Jacory Croskey-Merritt now at Arizona State, Andrew Henry, who transferred from UL-Monroe and averaged 6.7 yards per carry, becomes the primary running back option.
Hunt has conducted a thorough analysis of this matchup. While he is leaning towards betting the Under on the total points, he has identified a crucial factor that favors one team in the spread, details of which will be exclusively shared on SportsLine.
As the game approaches, the anticipation builds – who will emerge victorious between Montana State and New Mexico? To find out Hunt’s prediction and the pivotal X-factor influencing his betting choice, visit SportsLine for expert insights from the analyst who had a successful season last year.