Monday’s Birmingham Bowl is unique. Not only does it feature a rematch from the regular season, but it also pits two conference foes against one another. That is not normal, but this year’s crop of bowl-eligible teams was thin, which has led the powers that be to get creative with invitations.
That’s how we find ourselves breaking down a bowl game on a Monday afternoon in Birmingham between Appalachian State, which went 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the Sun Belt, and Georgia Southern, which was just slightly better at 6-6 and 4-4.
Georgia Southern is an 8.5-point favorite for Monday’s spectacle.
Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State odds, prediction
These two teams met back in November, a game that ended in a 25-23 victory for the Eagles. That final score is a bit misleading, as Appalachian State fell behind, 19-0, before closing the gap late in the contest.
The Mountaineers were 5-point favorites at home for that tilt, which is hard to get your head around since the line for this game is lopsided in the other direction.
But there is a reason for the massive movement. Appalachian State is dealing with a litany of opt-outs, including its starting and backup quarterbacks.
You can understand why Appalachian State’s ranks are depleted. The Mountaineers finished at 5-7 and were not expecting to keep playing, but they were invited to this game in early December, and by then, players had begun making moves for 2026.
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That firmly puts the ball in Georgia Southern’s court, but the Eagles are just not good enough to trust as an 8.5-point favorite, especially given their defensive issues.
Only four teams conceded more yards per play than Georgia Southern, which should give whatever is left of App State’s offense confidence that they can hang around in this bizarre contest.
It’s an ugly one, but the Mountaineers boast some value as an underdog in Birmingham on Monday afternoon.
The Play: Appalachian State +8.5 (-110, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
