Middle Tennessee vs. W. Kentucky Pick
Which 5-5 team will get over the .500 mark when Western Kentucky plays host to Middle Tennessee tonight at 8PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Middle Tennessee is the slight favorite on the road, as the Blue Raiders are getting odds of -2 points against Western Kentucky. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 56 points. Western Kentucky has won two straight meetings with Middle Tennessee, but the Blue Raiders have covered the spread in three of the last four encounters. The public is currently split on this one, with each team getting 50 percent of the wagers. Tonight’s game takes place from L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky and will air live on the CBS Sports Network.
Middle Tennessee is coming off a 35-21 win at Charlotte for its second straight win last weekend. The Blue Raiders are now 5-5 on the season and 3-3 in conference play. MTSU is 4-6 against the spread overall and just 1-4 ATS on the road. The Blue Raiders are holding opponents to just 334 yards per game and 24 points per contest. Offensively, Middle Tennessee is putting up 374.5 yards per game but just 21.8 points per contest. Brent Stockstill missed six games this year but still has thrown for 880 yards and 10 touchdowns to lead the offense. Brad Anderson has rushed for a team-high 491 yards while Ty Lee has 55 receptions for 732 yards and five touchdowns.
Western Kentucky has lost three straight, including a 30-23 loss at Marshall last week to fall to 5-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play. The Hilltoppers are just 2-8 against the spread this season with only one cover at home. WKU is putting up 25.6 points and 385.8 yards per game on offense this season. The offense relies heavily on the pass, as it averages 316.4 yards per game in the air. Mike White has thrown for 2,986 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead the unit. White has done a good job of spreading the ball around, as three different receivers have at least 450 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, WKU is allowing 24.3 points and 368 yards per game. The Hilltoppers have struggled to stop the run, allowing 181.2 yards per game on the ground.
Bet on Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky
Both teams have struggled this year, but Middle Tennessee is a better team that its record indicates with Stockstill on the field. He has missed six games, but the four games he has played in, MTSU is 3-1. That includes a win over Syracuse, the lone team to beat Clemson this season. The Blue Raiders should be able to move the ball on this WKU defense, even though they are more susceptible to the run. I like MTSU to cover.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: MIDDLE TENNESSEE -2