- Arizona State vs. Texas State kicks off Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- Arizona State is now a nominal favorite after a better-than-expected start.
- Texas State is a G5 darling this season and may need the win for CFP positioning.
Thursday night football isn’t just for the NFL! This week’s excellent Thursday lineup features a potential offensive shootout between Arizona State and Texas State.
Fortunately, I’ve got you covered below with a game preview and potential online sports betting angles.
Arizona State vs. Texas State Odds
- Point Spread: Arizona State -1.5
- Moneyline: Arizona State -120 / Texas State +100
- Over/Under: 59.5
Arizona State vs. Texas State Preview
Arizona State was left for dead in most Big 12 previews – including mine, with Phillip Slavin at Ten12 Network – so everyone is a little surprised to see the Sun Devils entering this game at 2-0. They thoroughly dominated Wyoming in Week 1, then followed it up with a convincing win over Mississippi State.
Don’t let the final score fool you. That was an ASU butt-whipping. Sam Leavitt is certainly a competent answer to the 2024 quarterback question in Tempe.
Now, the Sun Devils leave home for the first time this season for a road tilt in San Marcos against Texas State. The Bobcats have been successful in their own right, blistering a good UTSA team 49-10 in Week 2. Texas State set an FBS school record for wins in 2023, then lured quarterback Jordan McCloud – the reigning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year – in the transfer portal.
The stakes of this game are particularly high. Texas State has been held up as a darling G5 playoff competitor, so an early P4 win would help the Bobcats establish an early reputation with poll voters that they’re a potential top 25 team. The fact that ASU isn’t dreadfully doubles the upshot of a potential win here.
As for Arizona State, a road win against a good G5 program would certainly help Kenny Dillingham sell the program rebound to recruits. No one will mistake this Arizona State team for a Big 12 contender this year, but that could quickly change by 2025.
There’s a decent chance that this game will set an attendance record. Expect the crowd to be rocking.
One last thing to look for: This game is a showdown between two of the youngest coaches in college football. Someone could improve their coaching stock with a strong primetime outing.
Arizona State at Texas State: Betting Preview
Texas State was a favorite for most of the preseason run-up to this game, as a large percentage of the college football betting market thought highly of Texas State. Arizona State was expected to be bad, so this was an easy G5 upset target.
Now that the market has significantly raised its expectations for Arizona State odds, the NCAA football odds market has actually flipped Arizona State to playing as a small favorite.
If this game gets to Texas State +3, that should open up a major buyback opportunity to fade the market movement.
In the totals market, ASU has hit three straight unders in its last road nonconference games.
Arizona State vs. Texas State Prediction
I am predicting a Texas State win in Thursday night’s game.
While I wasn’t a true believer in the Texas State offseason hype, I was undeniably impressed with the way the Bobcats blew out UTSA.
I’ll lean Texas State on the moneyline and bet a full unit if the college football spreads market pushes out to Texas State +3.
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