Western Michigan Broncos vs Marshall Thundering Herd Betting Pick & Prediction 9/28/24

ESPN+ will be covering the week five non-conference matchup between the Western Michigan Broncos and the Marshall Thundering Herd as they face off at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington. Kick-off is set for 3:30 ET, and the Thundering Herd are the -3.5 point favorites at home. Both teams are sitting at 1-2 on the season, and the over/under line is currently at 54 points.

WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS VS MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD BETTING PICK

The Pick: Western Michigan Broncos +3.5

This game will be played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, September 28th.

WHY BET THE WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS:

• We have the Western Michigan Broncos winning this one by a score of 27 to 20
• Not only do we have the Western Michigan Broncos winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +3.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 54 points

Will The Western Michigan Broncos Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

Western Michigan improved to 1-2 for the season after a 59-31 win over Bethune-Cookman. There were no betting lines for this game.

The Broncos dominated early, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. After Bethune-Cookman closed the gap in the second quarter, Western Michigan extended their lead to 35-14 by halftime. The Broncos outscored Bethune-Cookman 14-7 in the third quarter and held a commanding 49-21 lead, ensuring their victory. The teams combined for 90 points, with Western Michigan coming out on top by 28 points.

Western Michigan’s offense was unstoppable in their last game, racking up 677 total yards and 30 first downs. The Broncos’ ground game was particularly effective, with 372 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Jaden Nixon led the way with 189 yards on 17 carries, averaging 11.1 yards per attempt, and scoring two rushing touchdowns. The passing game also contributed 305 yards and three touchdowns, with Hayden Wolff completing 78.9% of his passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns, along with one interception. His passer rating for the game was 136.4.

Anthony Sambucci was the leading receiver for Western Michigan, with four catches for 103 yards.

Western Michigan’s defense allowed a total of 255 yards in their most recent game, with 139 of those yards coming on the ground. Bethune-Cookman ran the ball 47 times and found the end zone twice on the ground. Through the air, the Broncos’ defense was much more successful, holding Bethune-Cookman to just 116 passing yards on 10 completions.

Are The Marshall Thundering Herd Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Marshall is looking to bounce back after a 49-14 loss to Ohio State on the road. Despite being +40 point underdogs, the Thundering Herd covered the spread, and the game’s combined score of 63 points surpassed the over/under line of 56.5 points. This was Marshall’s first game against a ranked opponent this season, and they are now 1-2 overall.

The Thundering Herd kept the game close early, with the score tied 7-7 after the first quarter. However, Ohio State outscored Marshall 21-7 in the second quarter, and the Thundering Herd were unable to score in the second half, leading to their 35-point defeat.

Marshall’s offense will be looking to bounce back after being held to 269 total yards in their 49-14 loss to Ohio State. The Thundering Herd managed to pick up 18 first downs but were limited to 130 rushing yards on 40 attempts. In the passing game, they finished with 139 yards and one touchdown.

Stone Earle completed 76.2% of his passes for 132 yards and a passer rating of 107.64. Elijah Metcalf led the receiving corps with eight receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown.

Marshall’s defense will be looking to bounce back after giving up 570 total yards in their last game. Ohio State’s ground game was particularly effective, racking up 281 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The Thundering Herd’s secondary also struggled, allowing 289 passing yards and two touchdowns on 18 completions. Marshall’s defense did manage to come up with one interception in the game.