The third game of the 2023 college football bowl season sees the 11-2 MAC Champion Miami RedHawks and the 8-5 Appalachian State Mountaineers travel to Orlando for the Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl.
It’s the first-ever matchup between the two teams, so who emerges victorious? We’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Cure Bowl prediction ahead of the game.
Cure Bowl Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Thursday, Dec. 15, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Cure Bowl odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Appalachian State -6.5 - Moneyline
Appalachian State -238, Miami (OH) +195 - Over/Under
43 points - Game time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL - Predicted Weather at Kick
71 degrees, 15 mph winds, periods of heavy rain - How to Watch
ABC, FuboTV
Is Miami (OH) the money maker in the Cure Bowl? Or should you be placing a stake on Appalachian State? If you’re going to take advantage of the Cure Bowl odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Appalachian State comes into their first-ever matchup with Miami (OH) as a favorite with the oddsmakers. The Mountaineers boast a 4-2 all-time winning record against teams from the MAC, and with RedHawks quarterback Aveon Smith in the transfer portal, you can see why the Sun Belt runner-up might be fancied.
Other Bowl Game Predictions: New Mexico | LA | Independence
However, as our Cure Bowl prediction explains, more reasons exist to put your money on Miami (OH). Chuck Martin has done an incredible job rallying his troops to the MAC title, and they have a strong chance of getting a result on Saturday, regardless of who lines up under center.
Even if you fancy the Mountaineers, consider picking Miami (OH) against the spread. The RedHawks are 10-3 covering this season, including with similar-sized underdog status in the MAC Championship Game. Appalachian State, by contrast, is 6-7 covering this season. With a solid defense and their last four games coming under the points total, take the under as well.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Miami (OH) Depth Chart | Appalachian State Depth Chart
- QB Henry Hesson, Miami (OH)
- QB Maddox Kopp, Miami (OH)
- QB Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State
- RB Rashod Amos, Miami (OH)
- RB Kenny Tracy, Miami (OH)
- RB Keyon Mozee, Miami (OH)
- RB Kanye Roberts, Appalachian State
- RB Anderson Castle, Appalachian State
- RB Maquel Haywood, Appalachian State
- WR Gage Larvadain, Miami (OH)
- WR Javon Tracy, Miami (OH)
- WR Cade McDonald, Miami (OH)
- WR Kaedin Robinson, Appalachian State
- WR Milan Tucker, Appalachian State
- WR Christian Horn, Appalachian State
- TE Luke Bolden, Miami (OH)
- TE Eli Wilson, Appalachian State
There are six college football games on Saturday to compile your DFS team from. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “Superflex” that can be any of the above or a tight end.
Kicking off your Cure Bowl picks at the quarterback position, Appalachian State’s Joey Aguilar is one of the top-scoring QBs at the Group of Five level. His arm has been the key component to many of the Mountaineers’ success. He’s an obvious contender for a spot on your DFS slate, but the matchup against a strong Miami (OH) secondary could hinder his point-scoring prowess.
MORE: Top Miami (OH) and Appalachian State Players Not Playing in the Cure Bowl
The RedHawks will start a quarterback with zero pass attempts this season due to Brett Gabbert’s injury and Smith entering the portal. However, running back Rashod Amos is the man you should be targeting for fantasy purposes anyway. He leads the team in touchdowns and scrimmage yards and has a score in every game since mid-October—fantasy scoring beast.
With lead running back Nate Noel in the transfer portal, Kanye Roberts can expect a bump in touches in the Cure Bowl. The Appalachian State rusher was already in touching distance of his teammate’s fantasy points this year, and he can be expected to add to his 648 yards and seven touchdowns when the Mountaineers take on Miami (OH) in Orlando on Saturday.
Prediction for the Cure Bowl
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Cure Bowl odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Can the Mountaineers live up to their status as favorite and secure a first bowl win since 2020, or will the RedHawks add the Cure Bowl crown to their MAC title ring?
After offensive coordinator Frank Ponce returned to Boone, Appalachian State has recovered their reputation as one of the nation’s most high-powered, free-scoring offenses. Averaging 34.8 points per game this season, Ponce has weaponized quarterback Aguilar and a vast array of weapons to make the Mountaineers a terrifying prospect to face on offense.
However, the defense has given up 28.4 points per game, ranking 90th in the nation. Average points per game can be a misleading figure skewed significantly by one anomalous result, and the Mountaineers have playmakers like Nate Johnson, who can wreak havoc in the opposition backfield.
However, they’ve had one of the worst rushing defenses in the nation, allowing 27 touchdowns and giving up 5.03 yards per carry. Against a running back of Amos’ capability, that’s a deadly recipe that could prove their downfall on the way to a defeat in the Cure Bowl.
Few defenses have been able to slow the talented running back down this season, and he has game-winner written all over him. Miami (OH) also boasts the seventh-ranked scoring defense in the country, with lockdown CBs like Raion Strader and dangerous linebacker Matthew Salopek.
Miami has all the ingredients to get the upset win on Saturday.
Prediction: Miami (OH) 23, Appalachian State 19