The Conference USA Championship will feature two teams competing at an exceptionally high level in recent weeks.
No. 24-ranked Liberty (12-0, 8-0 CUSA) will host New Mexico State (10-3, 7-1) at 7 p.m. ET on Friday at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Here’s more info about the game.
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NMSU vs. Liberty Betting Odds
Liberty is a -10.5 college football betting odds favorite against New Mexico State, with the Over/Under being 57.5.
The moneyline for Liberty is -450, while it’s +350 for NMSU.
NMSU vs. Liberty On TV
The NMSU vs. Liberty game will be televised on CBSSN.
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NMSU vs. Liberty Prediction
I’m predicting Liberty to win but for New Mexico State to cover the spread at +10.5. I also am predicting the game will go Under 57.5 total points.
The last time these two teams played, Liberty defeated New Mexico State 33-17. I could see a similar number of points being scored, but I think it’ll be a much closer game this time around.
The Flames have undoubtedly continued to flourish.
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter is one of the top signal callers in the Group of Five this season. Meanwhile, Flames running back Quinton Cooley leads CUSA with 1,251 rushing yards this year.
But New Mexico State has found its stride after beginning the season 2-3.
The Aggies are on an eight-game winning streak, including a 31-10 win at Auburn a couple weeks ago. NMSU quarterback Diego Pavia is a dynamic playmaker against any defense, as he’s top six in Conference USA in terms of passing yards and rushing yards.
Both defenses are also two of the best units in the league. NMSU is first in scoring defense (19.7 points per game allowed) and third in total defense (362.1 yards allowed per game), while Liberty leads the conference in total defense (344.7 yards allowed per game) and is third in scoring defense (21.7 points per game allowed).
It’s tough to imagine this won’t be a close game. But considering Liberty won the last meeting between these two teams and is playing at home, I think the Flames ultimately have the edge in this matchup.
