Appalachian State vs Coastal Carolina Picks and Prediction for Friday October 16 2026
The final game of the Friday college football schedule will feature a battle between the App State Mountaineers and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Kickoff is set for 8:00 pm EST on October 16, 2026. ESPN2 will broadcast this game from Brooks Stadium in Conway, SC. App State is a small 1.5 road favorite and the total is sitting at 50.5. Be sure to check out our free college football picks for more NCAAF predictions throughout the season.
App State off a disappointing, rain soaked loss
The App State Mountaineers were the premier team in the Sun Belt Conference from 2014-2021, but have stumbled through consecutive losing seasons. The Mountaineers (3-2) started the year on a three-game winning streak, which included an impressive 27-24 road victory against East Carolina. On Saturday, App State managed just 158 yards of total offense during a 10-3 home loss versus Old Dominion.
Both teams failed to score in the first half and App State took a brief lead on a James London 34-yard field goal. QB Malachi Singleton was a woeful 5-for-23 passing for 72 yards and an interception. The Mountaineers turned the ball over three times and possessed the ball for less than 22 minutes.
Saturday’s offensive debacle aside, App State features the third best passing attack (268.6 ypg) in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mountaineers score on 92.3 percent of their red zone trips and average 28.4 points per game. App State ranks fourth in the conference in total defense (335.4 ypg) and allows 19.8 points on average.
Coastal Carolina building with a youthful roster
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers dropped four of their first five games to start the season, with their lone victory coming against FCS Fordham. First-year head coach Ryan Beard is trying to restock a bare cupboard and the Chanticleers (2-4) have lost the four games by an average of 9.7 points. Last week, Coastal Carolina built a 27-point lead and held on for a 27-21 road victory against Marshall.
Sophomore RB Dominic Lee-Knicely shouldered the Coastal Carolina rushing load with 169 yards and a score in 25 carries. Deuce Bailey threw a seven-yard touchdown to Karmello English to give the Chanticleers a 10-0 second quarter advantage.
Coastal Carolina ranks near the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference in total offense (373.3 ypg) and averages 25.2 points per game. The Chanticleers rank a dismal 134th nationally with a 60 percent red zone scoring percentage. Coastal Carolina gives up yards, but has limited opponents to a respectable 24.3 points on average.
App State vs Coastal Carolina Picks and Prediction
Pick: Coastal Carolina +1.5
Coastal Carolina has won four straight games versus App State by an average margin of 8.0 points. The Mountaineers have dropped consecutive games, while the Chanticleers have shown plenty of fight for their first-year head coach. Coastal Carolina lost by a touchdown in their season opener against West Virginia and will break through with a home victory.
Pick: Over 50.5
App State is led by an offensive minded head coach and wants to play with tempo and Coastal Carolina is not afraid to play with pace. The Mountaineers surrendered 41 points at NC State and gave up 21 points against a poor Charlotte team. The Chanticleers were just gashed for 505 yards in their win at Marshall. Take the over.