I am looking for points Friday night in Conway, where Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina have the offensive potential to turn this Sun Belt matchup into a high-scoring affair.

The Mountaineers were held to just three points in last week’s weather-affected loss to Old Dominion, but that performance came in heavy rain and strong winds that severely limited their passing attack. 

Before that setback, quarterback Malachi Singleton was completing 72.7% of his passes and averaging more than 300 passing yards per game.

Coastal’s defense has been vulnerable, allowing 34 points to Liberty and 31 to Georgia Southern, and App State should have a much better opportunity to move the ball in normal conditions.

Coastal Carolina also brings an offense capable of contributing to the total. The Chanticleers scored 27 points in their win at Marshall last week, with quarterback Deuce Bailey throwing effectively and Dominic Lee-Knicely producing 169 rushing yards, including a 70-yard touchdown.

Coastal’s defense allowed 189.7 rushing yards per game entering this matchup, which gives the Mountaineers a potential path to success on the ground even if Singleton cannot play. The biggest concern is whether App State’s quarterback situation limits its offensive ceiling, but Coastal’s defensive weaknesses and the potential for explosive plays on both sides make the Over appealing.

The betting total has been listed at 51.5 points, although some books have shown lower numbers, so shop around before placing a wager.

With App State looking to rebound from its weather-disrupted offensive showing and Coastal coming off a game in which it built a 27-0 lead, we expect both teams to find scoring opportunities.

2♦ APPALACHIAN ST-COASTAL CAROLINA OVER

Based on 1♦ to 5♦