West Virginia vs. Maryland 2021 College Football Week 1 Odds and Preview

By Carlos Chacon • September 2, 2021

One of the many exciting contests happening in this NCAA football weekend features the West Virginia Mountaineers taking on the Maryland Terrapins. The Mountaineers enter the new season looking to improve their 6-4 record in the 2020 season. They finished their previous run with a 24-21 win over Army in the Liberty Bowl, giving the team more confidence as they hit the road this weekend. Meanwhile, The Terrapins will try to bring out an improved season after the pandemic put a halt to their campaign and ended it with a 2-3 record.

With that in mind, the NitroBetting team prepares you for some of the best football betting odds coming your way. This West Virginia vs. Maryland preview covers everything from the bare essentials to crucial betting information. Find event details, player and team statistics, the latest NCAAF odds, betting trends, and expert betting predictions, all of which aim to guide you towards the best picks. Be sure to check the latest 2021 College Football odds at out online Bitcoin sportsbook.

West Virginia vs. Maryland Game Information

The calendar and the weather say it’s football time ? pic.twitter.com/ldDI9TElRs
— WVU Football (@WVUfootball) September 1, 2021

When: Saturday, September 4, 2021, 3:30 PM ET
Where: Maryland Stadium, College Park, Maryland
TV: ESPN
Radio: Real Talk 910 KKSF-AM (San Jose State) / AM 790 KABC (USC)
Live Stream: CBS Sports
College Football Odds: West Virginia (-2.5) / Maryland (+2.5)

Why Bet on the West Virginia Mountaineers?

West Virginia gears up for the 2021 season with Jarret Doege at the starting quarterback position. After playing and starting all 10 games last year, the senior logged almost 2,600 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 4 picks. Looking at the running back selection, Leddie Brown is on top of the list after rushing for 1,010 yards and 9 touchdowns last season while rotating with A’Varius Sparrow, Tony Mathis, Justin Jhonson Jr., and Jaylen Anderson.

The receiving unit also looks competent with Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Winston Wright Jr., and Sam James. The duo of Ford-Wheaton and Wright Jr. gave the Mountaineers more life when they combined for over 1,000 yards, 74 catches, and 5 touchdowns last season.

The team’s defense puts together solid pieces, starting up front, with Dante Stills recording 10.5 tackles for loss in his most recent season. Akheem Mesidor and Jeffrey Pooler Jr. bring the heat back, with the former documenting 5 sacks last season. The linebackers group consists of the likes of VanDarius Cowan, Jared Bartlett, and Josh Chandler-Semedo, while the secondary needs some more work after losing Tyke Smith to the transfer window. By the end of the 2020 season, the team averaged 26.5 PPG while allowing 20.5 PPG.

Why Bet on the Maryland Terrapins?

Going over the Terrapins, we find Taulia Tagovailoa back under center working with new offensive coordinator Dan Enos. The quarterback averaged 252.8 passing yards per game with a 61.5% competition percentage, ranking third in the Big Ten. Last season, we also saw him throw for 676 yards and 6 touchdowns while recording 2 rushes in their wins over Minnesota and Penn State.

Moreover, the offense finds Tayon Fleet-Davis leading the backfield, while Dontay Demus Jr. leads the receiving unit with 10 career touchdowns and an average of 15 yards per reception in 2020. Brain Cobbs and Jeshaun Jones provide crucial services to the Terrapins’ receiver list while having a consistent pair of tight ends in Chigoziem Okonkwo and Malik Jackson.

Several talking points find their way to Maryland’s defense, including its bottom-half finish in the Big Ten last season. The team allowed 230 rushing yards per game, which is the second-worst in the conference. But with Durell Nchami returning from injury, he adds more threat to the unit when paired with the likes of Ami Finau, Joseph Boletepeli, and Mosiah Nasili-Kite. They also have better depth in the linebacker position that features Ruben Hyppolite II, Demeioun Robinson, and Fa’Najae Gotay. Previously, Maryland averaged 23.6 PPG while allowing 32 PPG in the 2020 season.

West Virginia vs. Maryland Betting Trends

West Virginia is 1-4 in its last 5 away games.
West Virginia is 2-3 against the spread in its last 5 away games.
The totals have gone over in 2 of West Virginia’s last 5 games.
Maryland is 1-4 in its last 5 home games.
Maryland is 2-3 against the spread in its last 5 home games.
The totals have gone under in 4 of Maryland’s last 5 games.

West Virginia vs. Maryland Expert Betting Predictions

This is an interesting contest and we expect the scoreline to be close up until the final whistle. Although West Virginia gets a slight advantage and is the better team on paper, having home-field might level the game for Maryland. This means the Terrapins are up for the task of covering the spread and even taking the win if the Mountaineers leave their guards down even for a second. Ultimately, we look forward to another thriller brought to us by this West Virginia vs. Maryland game.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 College Football season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.