William & Mary vs Montana State Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for FCS Quarterfinals (Bobcats' Rush Attack Thrives)

William & Mary vs Montana State Game Info

2022 FCS Championship - Quarterfinals
William & Mary Tribe (11-1) vs. Montana State Bobcats (11-1)
Date: Friday, Dec. 9, 2022
Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
Venue: Bobcat Stadium — Bozeman, MT
Coverage: ESPN2

The 2022-23 FCS Championship has reached the quarterfinals and includes a battle between the William & Mary Tribe and Montana State Bobcats. William & Mary took down Gardner-Webb, 54-14, on Saturday. Quarterback Darius Wilson logged 240 passing yards, 89 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Montana State took care of business in a 33-25 win over Weber State on Saturday. QB Tommy Mellott stole the show once again with his legs (167 rushing yards on 21 carries). Backup QB Sean Chambers got in on the action by completing his only two passes of the day for touchdowns.

William & Mary vs Montana State Odds & Spread

All FCS betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline: W&M: (+260) | MTST: (-320)
Spread: W&M: +7.5 (-110) | MTST: -7.5 (-110)
Total: 64.5 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

Montana State enters this contest as a clear home favorite on the moneyline and spread. This clash also features a total of 64.5 points, which ranks as one of the highest among the FCS playoff slate.

William & Mary vs Montana State Prediction & Pick

Both of these teams enter Friday with an 11-1 record, but it's Montana State that's favored by over a TD. That is because the Bobcats rank third in the FCS in scoring (44.0 points per game) and their only loss of the year came against Oregon State. The Beavers are currently ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll.

William & Mary averages just 35.7 points per game (No. 17 in FCS) and allows 144.4 rushing yards per game on defense (No. 43 in FCS). That does not bode wel for its chances of keeping up with a high-powered Bobcats rushing offense. Mellott is averaging a ridiculous 7.2 yards per carry on the year.

I'll back a Bobcats team playing in front of their own fans to advance to the semifinals round.

Final Score Prediction: William & Mary: 31 | Montana State: 38

William & Mary vs Montana State Betting Trends

- William & Mary is 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last five away games.
- The total has hit the over in four of William & Mary's last five games.
- Montana State is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.
- The total has hit the over in five of Montana State's last seven home games.

William & Mary vs Montana State Best Bet

William & Mary have pulled off a few upsets this season, so shifting gears to the point total is a smart move. The total has hit the over in four of William & Mary's last five games as well as in five of Montana State's last seven home games. Both of these offenses have the talent to score a ton of touchdowns.

Keep in mind the Bobcats have put up at least 40 points in four of their last five games played. On the other side, the Tribe has tallied at least 37 points in each of their last three games played. Seeing a total listed in the low 60s for two FCS teams playing their best football of the year comes as a shock.

Bet: Over 64.5 Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.