Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles Picks and Prediction for Saturday, September 13th, 2025
The Appalachian State Mountaineers (2-0, 1-1 ATS, 0-2 O/U) take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (1-1, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U) in a conference showdown on Saturday evening, and we have you covered with the prediction. The Mountaineers stand at 2-0, including a home win against Lindenwood. The Golden Eagles are 1-1 after a home win against Jackson State in their previous action. These rivals last met in 2023 in a game the Mountaineers won.
Can Appalachian State keep its undefeated record intact? Check out the Appalachian State vs. Southern Mississippi prediction. Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NCAAF Picks!
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Appalachian State Remains Undefeated on Season
The Appalachian State Mountaineers are enjoying a promising few weeks to open the season. Appalachian State is 2-0 to begin the year. First, they issued a dominating 34-11 road win against Charlotte in a clash that had the Mountaineers as three-point dogs. Next, they had an easy opponent, but did not come away with the blowout win many expected. Appalachian State escaped with a 30-23 home win against Lindenwood, which does not play in the FBS. The Mountaineers were 30-point favourites. They were voted to finish 6th in the conference preseason poll voted by coaches.
AJ Swann is in his first season with Appalachian State. He spent last year as a backup with the LSU Tigers. The junior QB has been outstanding. He recorded 368 yards in the opener and has posted 661 passing yards, complemented by a 5:1 TD to INT ratio in two games. Swann has connected on 62.5% of his passes.
The offense has opted for the pass more than the run so far. Rashod Dubinion spent last year with Arkansas and has been superb with his new team, amassing 305 yards in two performances. Jaden Barnes has been targeted more than any other receiver. The junior has brought in 205 yards. Dalton Stroman has been superb, recording 229 yards. The Appalachian State offense has posted an average of 545 yards in two games.
The Mountaineers' defense is a strength. While it has not been challenged by strong competition yet, the unit has kept its two opponents to less than 220 total yards. The Mountaineers had many key players transfer out, but they have plenty of depth. Ja’Den McBurrows has made 11 tackles in two games. The pass defense is ranked 55th, while the rush defense has been sharp, rating fifth.
Appalachian State averaged 26.6 points last year and 27 points in two games this season, ranking them 78th. The Mountaineers conceded 32.9 points last year and have kept the opposition to an average of 12 points, good for 35th.
Southern Mississippi Rebounds in First Win
The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles are attempting to climb above the .500 mark on Saturday. The group had a tough opponent to begin the season and came through with an encouraging performance. They covered the spread in a 34-17 home loss against Mississippi State. Next, Southern Mississippi rebounded with a 38-20 home win against Jackson State of the FCS. They were 13-point favourites. The Eagles were voted to finish 10th in the conference preseason poll voted by coaches.
Braylon Braxton has been sharp. The senior QB has converted on 66% of his pass attempts and tossed three touchdowns on Saturday. Braxton has issued 413 passing yards and a 5:1 TD to INT ratio. The Southern Mississippi offense has opted for the run slightly more than the pass. They have been sharing the duties on the ground with Robert Briggs and Jeffrey Pittman, who has netted 87 yards on 4.6 yards per rush. Carl Chester has been a threat with his new team. The senior WR has brought in 93 receiving yards to begin the season. Kadinn Morris has racked up 63 yards. The Southern Mississippi offense is averaging 332 yards per game.
The Golden Eagles' defense was horrendous last season and has been shaky so far. They squandered 465 yards against Mississippi State, which is to be expected, and conceded 322 yards against an FCS offense in Jackson State last week. Linebacker Chris Jones leads the squad with 19 tackles. After two games, the pass defense is 73rd while the rush defense is marked 115th.
Southern Mississippi averaged 15.2 points last season and has averaged 27.5 points this season, ranking them 71st. The Eagles conceded an average of 37.7 points last year, pegging them 129th, and have squandered an average of 27 points, placing them 97th.
Appalachian State vs. Southern Mississippi Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,570.00 |
| 2 |  Dan Kaiser | +1,223.00 |
| 3 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,000.00 |
| 4 |  Earle Sports Bets | +916.00 |
| 5 |  David Hess | +706.00 |
Spread Pick for Appalachian State vs. Southern Mississippi
- Appalachian State Mountaineers -3 (5 units)
The Appalachian State Mountaineers are undefeated after two games, beating Charlotte in a minor upset win, along with a home win against Lindenwood. The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles are 1-1. This is a team that posted just one win last season. While the Eagles have improved this season, they are expected to be near the bottom of the conference.
Furthermore, Appalachian State QB AJ Swann has sparkling numbers. He spent last season with LSU and has racked up 661 passing yards in two games. The Golden Eagles surrendered 279 passing yards against Mississippi State in the opener. Also, Southern Mississippi has only opted for the pass in 50% of its plays. They will run plenty, and this is good news for the Mountaineers, who have conceded an average of only 37.5 rushing yards in two games, ranking them 5th.
Over/Under Pick for Appalachian State vs. Southern Mississippi
- Over 57 (5 units)
I expect a barrage of scoring. Appalachian State has posted 500+ total yards on offense in each of its first two games. The Golden Eagles’ defense was not challenged by a subpar opponent in Jackson State of the FCS last week, but surrendered 465 yards in the opener.
In addition, the Southern Mississippi offense has improved this season. They managed 17 points against Mississippi State of the SEC in week one and posted 363 total yards last week. They have a strong QB in Braylon Braxton under center. He is a proven QB and has connected on 66% of his passes with a 5:1 TD to INT ratio. The over is 7-3 in the Eagles' past 10 games in week three.
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