Welcome to Week 1. I hope everyone survived that surprisingly entertaining Week 0 slate. But the real fun begins now.
The FCS Lehigh Mountain Hawks battle the Army Black Knights on Friday at 6 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
The Mountain Hawks were a dreadful football team in 2023, finishing the year with a 2-9 record, including 1-5 in the Patriot League.
Meanwhile, the Black Knights were a bowl team last season, finishing the year 6-6. A service academy team is typically motivated, and I'd expect more of the same on Friday.
Oddsmakers have made the Black Knights a heavy favorite, so let's waste no further time and dive into a Lehigh vs. Army prediction.
Lehigh Mountain Hawks vs Army Black Knights Prediction
- Lehigh vs. Army Pick: Under 47.5
My Lehigh vs. Army best bet is the under with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Lehigh Mountain Hawks vs Army Black Knights Odds
| Lehigh Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+31.5 -108 | 47 -110o / -110u | +5000 |
| Army Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-31.5 -112 | 47 -110o / -110u | -100000 |
- Lehigh vs Army Point Spread: Lehigh +31.5 (-110) · Army -31.5 (-110)
- Lehigh vs Army Total: Over/Under 47
- Lehigh vs Army Moneyline: LSU +5000 · Army -100000
Lehigh vs Army Preview
Lehigh Mountain Hawks Betting Preview
It's Year 2 of Kevin Cahill's tenure as the Mountain Hawks' head coach. I'm sure the fanbase hopes for a more robust 2024 season, but things are looking bleak again.
The Mountain Hawks were torched on defense in 2023, allowing 31.18 points per game. They allowed 186 rushing yards per game at 4.5 yards per carry.
Cahill expects improvement on the defensive side of the ball, which is encouraging, especially against a service academy team.
The Mountain Hawks return 18 players projected in their starting lineup, which is encouraging heading into the matchup. These returnees include two 2023 All-Patriot League defensive players, linebacker Mike DeNucci and safety Nick Peltekian.
The defense isn't accustomed to seeing a typical service academy offense, so expect adjustments throughout the contest. The Mountain Hawks may struggle to contain the Black Knights' rushing attack, but hearing that the defense is expected to improve is good.
Offensively is a different story, as you typically like to attack the Black Knights through the air. The Mountain Hawks only threw 14 touchdown passes last season, but grad student quarterback Dante Perri is trying to buck that trend.
In a game where the Mountain Hawks will get few offensive possessions, they'll have to rely on explosive plays to keep up offensively. The roster includes many first-year players (36), with most expected to contribute immediately.
There are better formulas for pulling off a massive upset and covering a large number. I want nothing to do with the Mountain Hawks here, but I'm encouraged that the defense should have some success throughout the game.
Army Black Knights Betting Preview
Jeff Monken's Black Knights begin their season with a softball game on their schedule. The Knights last faced the Mountain Hawks in 1995, and they defeated them 42-9.
The Knights will have to improve their rush defense to improve their 6-6 record from a season ago. In 2023, they ranked outside the top 100 nationally in Rush Success Rate Allowed and Adjusted Line Yards.
The Mountain Hawks had a competent rushing attack last season in FCS play, so I expect them to rely heavily on their ground game.
The Knights' offense is sluggish, as are most service academy teams, which makes it challenging to cover such a large spread. So, I expect the Knights to dominate time of possession, but Finishing Drives is another story.
The Knights ranked outside the top 100 in Finishing Drives last year, which may result in more field goals than touchdowns. The Knights' secondary was the strength of their defense last season, and they should shine once again against a weak Mountain Hawks passing attack.
I expect Monken to have a vanilla game plan against a weak FCS opponent, so I don't expect a ton of scoring from the offense, especially if the Mountain Hawks' defense is as improved as Cahill hypes it up to be.
Lehigh vs Army Pick & Prediction
I don't want to lay over four touchdowns with a service academy team, so I decided to target the under. I would play this down to 45.5. I could easily envision the outcome being 30-13, as neither team should produce many explosives.
Monken will keep the clock moving for most of the afternoon, and I don't expect much from Perri against this Knights secondary.
Pick: Under 47.5 (Play to 45.5)
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How to Watch Lehigh vs Army Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Michie Stadium, West Point, New York |
| Date: | Friday, Aug. 30 |
| Kickoff Time: | 6 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
Lehigh vs Army Betting Trends
- The public is all over Lehigh and the points here, with over 80% of the bets and handle on the Hawks.
- Army went 6-6 straight up and 5-6-1 ATS last season, although the Knights went just 2-4 ATS at home and 2-4 ATS as a favorite.
