Florida International Panthers vs Indiana Hoosiers Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN, will be the site for the season opener between the Indiana Hoosiers and Florida International Panthers on Saturday, August 31st. Kick-off is set for 3:30 ET, and the game will be broadcast on BTN. The Hoosiers are favored by -20.5 points, with the over/under line currently at 50.5 points. This will be the first game of the season for both teams.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL PANTHERS VS INDIANA HOOSIERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Indiana Hoosiers -20.5

This game will be played at Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN) at 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE INDIANA HOOSIERS:

• We have the Indiana Hoosiers winning this one by a score of 34 to 9
• Not only do we have the Indiana Hoosiers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -20.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 50.5 points

Will The Florida International Panthers Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

Florida International enters the season with the 9th worst odds out of 10 teams in the Conference USA to make it to the Conference USA final, with their futures odds set at +2000. The implied odds based on these futures odds are a 5% chance to make it to the Conference USA championship game. Their odds to win the Conference USA title are set at +10500 (1%).

Last season, the Panthers finished with a 4-8 record, including going 2-4 both at home and on the road. They were the underdog in 10 out of their 12 games. Currently, they are 132nd in our power rankings and have a 31% chance of being bowl-eligible this season.

Florida International’s passing game averaged 230 yards per game last season, ranking 73rd in the country. However, the Panthers struggled on third down, converting just 28.4% of their chances (125th). Overall, they averaged 20.1 points per game, placing them 93rd nationally. Keyone Jenkins, who threw for 2,422 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, is the top returning quarterback with a passer rating of 78. Shomari Lawrence, who rushed for 566 yards and four touchdowns, is the top returning running back for the Panthers.

Per game, Florida International averaged just 90.5 rushing yards, placing them 122nd in the country. In the receiving corps, Dean Patterson, who had 423 receiving yards last season, is the top returning player. The Panthers have also added D.J. Washington, who had 336 receiving yards at New Mexico last year.

Opposing offenses found success on the ground against Florida International last season, rushing for an average of 192.3 yards per game, which ranked 154th in the nation. The Panthers’ pass defense was also a weakness, allowing 245.5 passing yards per game. Overall, Florida International allowed 31.8 points per game, placing them 75th in the country. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 101.9 and completed 61% of their passes against the Panthers.

Are The Indiana Hoosiers Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Coming into the season, Indiana is 77th in our pre-season power rankings. Last season, they went 3-9 overall, with all three wins coming at home. The Hoosiers were 0-6 on the road and were favored in just three of their 12 games. As underdogs, they went 1-8, while going 2-1 as the favorite.

Currently, Indiana has a 44.9% chance of being bowl-eligible this season. However, their odds to win the Big Ten are set at +23333, placing them 16th out of 18 teams in the conference. Last season, the Hoosiers finished 77th in our power rankings, and they are not currently being given any chance to win the Big Ten.

Indiana’s passing game was ranked 87th in the country last season, averaging 212.3 yards per game. Overall, the Hoosiers were 84th in scoring, putting up 22.2 points per game. Their rushing attack also struggled, finishing 102nd in the nation with just 121.8 yards per game on the ground. The Hoosiers also had a tough time on third down, converting only 36.7% of their opportunities (84th).

Heading into this season, Indiana is looking for improved play from quarterback Tayven Jackson, who threw for 914 yards and two touchdowns last year. The Hoosiers also brought in Kurtis Rourke, who threw for 2207 yards and 11 touchdowns at Ohio last season. In the backfield, Kaelon Black has joined the team from James Madison, where he ran for 637 yards last year. Indiana is also looking to build on the 644 receiving yards from Donaven McCulley, who returns as a key target in the passing game.

Indiana’s defense allowed nearly 30 points per game last season, finishing 65th in the country. They struggled against the pass, giving up 237.8 passing yards per game (119th), and their run defense was also a weakness, allowing 157.4 rushing yards per game (99th). Opposing quarterbacks completed 59.1% of their passes against the Hoosiers last season.