Appalachian State @ Louisiana

Who will WIN this matchup?

Appalachian State Mountaineers (4-1)

@ Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (4-1)

Current odds:

Appalachian State Mountaineers: (-185)

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns: (+165)

• The line for this game is Appalachian State by 4.5 points.

• App State won the first eight meetings in its series against Louisiana, including both Sun Belt title games in Boone and the last showdown between the two schools at Cajun Field — a 17-7 victory by the Mountaineers in 2019. The Ragin’ Cajuns posted a breakthrough win in Boone last season.

• This season, with an opening-game loss at Texas, Louisiana already has played a pair of Sun Belt road games and pulled out two close victories — 28-20 at Georgia Southern and 20-18 at South Alabama. App State held a 14-9 lead in the third quarter of its league opener at Georgia State before breaking the game open with a 31-0 run in a 45-16 victory.

• App State has a new quarterback this season in Chase Brice, the Sun Belt’s leader at 272.0 passing yards per game, and super senior receiver Corey Sutton has topped 100 yards in each of the last three games. The running game has been strong, even though September starter Camerun Peoples (eight TDs) sat out the Georgia State game and Sun Belt rushing leader Nate Noel (102.2 yards per game) missed the second half after putting up 74 rushing yards before halftime.

• The Mountaineers still rushed for 90 second-half yards while relying on Anderson Castle and Jahmir Smith, and veteran Daetrich Harrington (595 yards in six games during an injury-shortened 2020) could make his 2021 debut Tuesday.

• Louisiana didn’t return as many super seniors as App State, but the Ragin’ Cajuns do have elusive left-handed QB Levi Lewis back.

• And while they did lose a pair of standout running backs in Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas, the 2021 offense features a balanced rushing attack led by Emani Bailey (7.3 yards per carry), Montrell Johnson (5.2) and dangerous returner Chris Smith (4.4 from his starting role in the backfield). Johnson, a 210-pound true freshman, had a four-TD game against Ohio.

• Demetrius Taylor had one of App State’s three sacks in the 2019 visit to Lafayette and another sack in that year’s conference title game, but the scrambling of Lewis in 2020 created time for him to run (77 yards on 11 attempts with no sacks) or look for receivers with defensive backs forced to cover for extended periods.

• The Mountaineers have 15 sacks and 23 quarterback hurries through five games this season, with do-everything linebacker D’Marco Jackson ranking among the national leaders in tackles per game (third, 10.8), tackles for loss per game (tied for first, 2.0) and sacks (25th, 0.8).

• Louisiana’s defense has also been stout, as the Ragin’ Cajuns have allowed an average of 17.3 points during their last three games in wins against Ohio, Georgia Southern and South Alabama. They give up an average of 174.8 rushing yards and 236.0 passing yards per game.