The Florida State Seminoles are heavy NCAA online betting favorites to defeat the Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks in James Blackman’s debut as starting quarterback – the first FSU true freshman to start at quarterback since Chip Ferguson in 1985 –, though FSU’s long-term odds took a bigger hit than Snoop Dogg as a result of former starting QB Deondre Francois season-ending injury. Francois leg was rolled up, tearing his patellar tendon, when Alabama safety Ronnie Harrison sacked him in the fourth quarter of the Seminoles 7-24 loss to the Crimson Tide on Saturday.
- Date: Saturday, September 9th
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
Online Sportsbook College Football Game Odds:
UL Monroe +32 (-110) 54½ (-110) +6000
Florida State -32 (-110) 54½ (-110) -15000
Yesterday I was a Freshman, today I am a Blackman
True freshman James Blackman had never thrown a pass at the college level before taking over for Francois – and as a matter of fact, he still hasn’t (he took three snaps against ‘Bama). However, he will have to make like Tom Hanks in Big and grow a lot overnight. Blackman is athletic, has a strong arm, and can make plays on the move, both passing and running. He finished high school with 2,158 passing yards and 14 touchdowns for the Raiders. Nonetheless, he is still, as they say in the parlance of our times, wet behind the ear, so he’ll have to gain as much experience as possible in the stopgap that is UL Monroe before the Seminoles host rivals Miami Hurricanes (No. 18) a short week later. “I promise I won’t let you down,” Blackman told Noles247. Well, that’s reassuring.
It was a bit of a surprise when head coach Jimbo Fisher announced that “As of right now, James Blackman will be our No. 1 guy going in” in the same press conference where he confirmed Francois’s injury, but hey, them’s the breaks in NCAA online betting.
James Blackman will be the first FSU freshman to start at QB since Chip Ferguson in 1985. https://t.co/lSdxpQyo9I
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 4, 2017
FSU has won five of their last six games and 22 of their last three at home, and have covered in four of their last five contests in general as well as at home. The NCAA online betting total has gone under in 70% of the ‘Noles’ last 10 games.
The Warhawks’ Failed Rally
UL Monroe is coming off a 29-37 loss to the Memphis Tigers on Thursday. The Warhawks were behind 7-30 halfway through the third quarter but scored TDs on three of their last four possessions to cut their deficit while keeping the Tigers to just six first downs and 72 rushing yards in the second half. However, ULM’s rally ended when Evan Michael recovered an on-side kick attempt.
ULM has lost 19 of their last 24 overall games and 16 of their last 17 road games, but have covered in 80% of their last five contests and in two thirds of their last nine on the road. The NCAA online betting total has gone over in 90% of the Warhawks’ last 10 games and over in their last five road games.