Western Kentucky appeared well on its way to winning a Conference USA Championship – until a few weeks ago.
The Hilltoppers had only lost to Alabama and Boston College and were undefeated in CUSA play until they lost to Louisiana Tech by five points. Then WKU followed that with another loss, a 38-21 defeat at Liberty.
That nearly kept WKU out of the CUSA title game. But Liberty lost last week, and the Hilltoppers earned a critical 19-17 victory over Jacksonville State.
Now Jax State will get a chance to avenge that loss. The Gamecocks began the year with three straight losses and looked like they might not even earn bowl-eligibility. But then they found their winning ways again, triumphing in eight straight contests to secure a spot in the conference championship.
So we will get to see WKU and Jax State play each other for the second time in two weeks. But this time, a league crown is on the line.
Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State Betting Odds
Western Kentucky is a +4.5 college football betting odds underdog against Jacksonville State, with the Over/Under being 57.5.
The moneyline for Western Kentucky is +165, while it’s -200 for Jacksonville State.
Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State On TV
The matchup between Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State will be televised on CBSSN.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 6. The contest is taking place at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Western Kentucky vs. Jax State Prediction
I predict Western Kentucky will win and cover the spread at +4.5. I also project this game will go Under 57.5 total points.
I might’ve picked the Gamecocks to win this matchup, even despite them losing last week to WKU, but there’s too much uncertainty around Jax State’s offense right now. Quarterback Tyler Huff is reportedly injured, and his availability is questionable.
And that situation aside, the Gamecocks have only scored 38 points in their last two games. One of those was that 19-17 loss against the Hilltoppers.
WKU, meanwhile, is back on track after its two-game losing skid. Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp threw for 301 yards and one touchdown on 28-for-47 passing in the last contest against Jax State, and I thought he looked impressive.
Also, I think WKU’s defense is better than some people realize. The Hilltoppers have only allowed two teams to score more than 28 points all season – Liberty and Alabama. I think they’ll cause problems for Jax State, no matter who’s at quarterback.
I expect Veltkamp to have another great performance and for WKU to win Conference USA.
