Week 10 FCS Spring Football Picks Against the Spread
- Week 10 of the FCS spring football season kicks off on Saturday, April 17th
- South Dakota State and North Dakota State faceoff at the Fargodome
- Read below for the best ATS picks for the final week of the FCS regular season
The 2021 FCS spring football season is heading into its final weekend of action before the playoff field gets announced. Week 10 features numerous games with major conference and postseason implications.
South Dakota State and North Dakota State face off for the Mountain Valley Conference Championship, while VMI goes for the Southern Conference title against the Citadel. Over in the CAA, undefeated Richmond and JMU battle for playoff position.
Here are three ATS picks to consider for Week 10 of FCS spring football.
South Dakota State vs North Dakota Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State | +1.5 (-121) | -109 | O 44.5 (-104) |
| North Dakota State | -1.5 (+100) | -112 | U 44.5 (-118) |
All odds as of April 14th at DraftKings
Jackrabbits Run Over Bison
North Dakota State will be looking to claim its 10th straight MVC title when they welcome South Dakota State to the Fargodome in Week 10. The Bison were the preseason favorites to win the National Championship in 2021, but they’ve struggled at times this season despite a 6-1 record.
The Jackrabbits have also incurred only one loss this season, but they’ve played two fewer games due to COVID-19 complications. John Stiegelmeier’s team has exceeded expectations this year and boasts a dynamic rushing attack led by Pierre Strong Jr. and Isaiah Davis.
𝙄𝙎𝘼𝙄𝘼𝙃 𝘿𝘼𝙑𝙄𝙎 up and in…. pic.twitter.com/dKUau2iXll
— SDSU Football (@GoJacksFB) March 20, 2021
NDSU also has a top-10 rushing offense, which means this game should come down to defense. The Jackrabbits have been making big plays all season, forcing nine interceptions and 11 total turnovers. We haven’t seen that same type of prowess from the Bison, who have come up with only four interceptions and six turnovers in fewer games.
NDSU QB Zeb Noland is completing just 51.5% of his passes this season and lacks the dual-threat ability of SDSU pivot Mark Gronowski. Expect the Jackrabbits to continue relying on their run game and for the stingy defense to force a couple big turnovers to bring this one home for the visitors.
- Pick: South Dakota State +1.5 (-121)
Richmond vs James Madison Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | +12 (-109) | +325 | O 50.5 (-113) |
| James Madison | -12 (-112) | -435 | U 50.5 (-108) |
Spiders Give Dukes a Scare
JMU and Richmond will be battling for first place in the CAA South Division with they clash at Bridgeforth Stadium in Week 10. This will be the third attempt at playing this game after the two previous games were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. Both programs are undefeated and fighting for playoff position.
Richmond has the defense to keep this lethal James Madison offense in check. The Spiders are only allowing 55 rushing yards per game and have some big-time playmakers, including LB Tristan Wheeler and DE Darius Reynolds, who should be able to slow down JMU star RB Percy Agyei-Obese.
𝑯𝑰𝑻 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑲!@philoconnor11 lays the wood for the Spiders. #OneRichmond pic.twitter.com/vIpL9pABT5
— Richmond Spider Football (@Spiders_FB) March 27, 2021
On the offensive side of the ball, the Spiders are loaded at running back with the trio of Aaron Dykes, Savon Smith and Joe Mancuso. Each player has rushed for at least 45 yards in every game this year and should have a big day facing a JMU rush defense that has yet to be truly tested.
James Madison has some QB concerns heading into this one after senior Cole Johnson was benched a few weeks ago before redeeming himself with a strong outing against W&M. The Spiders’ run game and defense has been reliable as it gets this season and should keep this game within the spread.
- Pick: Richmond +12 (-109)
Citadel vs VMI Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citadel | +5.5 (-112) | +155 | O 49.5 (-109) |
| VMI | -5.5 (-109) | -195 | U 49.5 (-112) |
Keydets Make History Against Bulldogs
VMI has plenty to play for against the Citadel in Lexington on Saturday. Not only can the Keydets claim the Silver Shako for the second season in a row, but a victory will give them their first Southern Conference title since 1977 and a spot in the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history.
The Keydets have a lethal passing attack that should exploit a susceptible Bulldogs secondary. VMI freshman QB Seth Morgan has been excellent since taking over for injured senior Reece Udinski, completing 77% of his passes for 760 yards and five TDs with one pick. He’ll be targeting one of the best receivers in the nation in 6’4″ Jakob Herres.
VMI WR Jakob Herres is having a big spring season. The 6'4 matchup nightmare has 56 receptions for 684 yards and 6 TDs in six games. pic.twitter.com/wxhtYgdOq6
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) April 7, 2021
The Citadel have struggled to keep pace with strong passing attacks this season and were torched for over 300 yards by Samford QB Liam Welch. The Bulldogs are only averaging 16 points per game and don’t have a weapon like Herres in the passing game who can take over a matchup.
The Citadel are heavily dependent on the run game, which plays into the hands of a stout VMU rush defense that is only allowing 128 yards on the ground per game. The Keydets are clearly the better team on both sides of the ball and have everything to play for Saturday. Expect Morgan and Herres to lead the program to a convincing win over the Citadel in front of a packed stadium.
- Pick VMI -5.5 (-109)
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
