After making a run to the Sun Belt Championship in 2023, some believed App State was poised to contend for a conference title in 2024.
But the season was disappointing on several levels for the Mountaineers. They went 5-6 overall, with one game canceled after Hurricane Helene. That was Shawn Clark’s first losing season as the head coach at App State, and it led to him being fired.
Now Dowell Loggains is leading the program. App State hopes things can change for the better in the near future, and the Mountaineers want to start the 2025 season on a high note.
They’ll take on Charlotte, another team that went through a coaching change this past offseason. Tim Albin comes over after leading Ohio to a MAC title, so the 49ers could turn out to be much improved in a quick amount of time.
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App State vs. Charlotte Betting Odds
Charlotte is a +4.5 college football betting odds underdog against App State, with the Over/Under being 49.5.
The moneyline for App State is -190, while it’s +155 for Charlotte.
App State vs. Charlotte On TV
The matchup between App State and Charlotte will be televised on ESPNU.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 29. The contest is taking place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
App State vs. Charlotte Prediction
I predict App State will win and cover the 4.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 49.5 total points.
LSU transfer AJ Swann and Iowa State transfer JJ Kohl are among the frontrunners to take over at quarterback for App State. Swann played in two games for LSU last year but started 12 of 15 contests at Vanderbilt during the two seasons prior, passing for 2,731 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine interceptions during that time. Kohl played in four games the past two years at Iowa State, completing 13 of 16 passes for 23 yards while rushing for 54 yards during that span.
But I don’t think App State is going to win this game because of offense. I believe it will be with defense. App State returns a good amount of experience on that side of the ball, especially in the secondary.
Defensive back DJ Burks is back after ranking second on the team with 58 tackles while adding three tackles for loss. Fellow DBs Jordan Favors, Ethan Johnson, and Zyeir Gamble are back as well.
In the front seven, linebacker Kyle Arnholt returns after recording the third-most tackles on the team with 55. Defensive lineman Thomas Davis is back as well after recording 36 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, three sacks, and one fumble recovery.
If App State is going to get back to a bowl game, the Mountaineers will want a win here. And if their offense can limit turnovers and sustain some drives, I think they can manage to pull off a victory.
