Florida International at Indiana Betting Pick For 8/31/2024

The Florida International Panthers will battle the Indiana Hoosiers on August 31, 2024, with the Panthers as 21 point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Early betting trends show 55% of spread bets on the Panthers and 45% on the Hoosiers. The total of 51.5 has seen 22% of bets on the under and 78% on the over. While Indiana is expected to win handily, FIU will be looking to make this a game and potentially pull off an upset on the road.

Can FIU Challenge Indiana's Defense?

Florida International finished in last place in Conference USA last season, going 1-7 in conference play and 4-8 overall. Their offense struggled to generate enough to keep them in games, as they averaged just over 20 points per game as a team in 2023. This year, they start their season with a tough matchup against Indiana, one where their offense will again face challenges as they look to put points on the board.

FIU does have some experience along the offensive line, but that experience is largely not used to playing against power conference opponents either. The Panthers should be at a physical disadvantage in this game even if they do have some players who have been around for a while, which should mean a tough time moving the ball with consistency.

Indiana Starts Curt Cignetti Era

Curt Cignetti coached James Madison into FBS football and helped turn them into one of the better teams in all of college football a season ago. His reward for doing so was a move into the Big Ten, where he takes over as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers. He brings some transfers from James Madison with him to this job, all of whom will be looking to prove that they belong on this stage just as much as Cignetti does as the head coach.

While Indiana is a heavy favorite going into this contest, one of the major subplots to monitor going into this game will be how Cignetti's team looks in his first game as a coach. There are usually some growing pains associated with adjusting to a new coach and a new coaching style. While FIU should be a nice, easy landing spot for Indiana to get on the same page, you never know how a team is going to react to playing for a new coach so early in the season.

FIU vs Indiana Best Bet

Our best bet for this contest is for the game to stay under the total. While Indiana should be able to put up some points on their end, FIU's offense is not expected to trouble the Hoosiers all that much. This game should end with a score like 30-10, which will mean a comfortable under in Bloomington in Week 1.

For more on today's game check out the comprehensive statistics, betting odds, and trends below. Be sure to check out all our free NCAAFB picks here.