Jacksonville State proved to be the best team in Conference USA a year ago.
The Gamecocks went 9-5 overall with a 7-1 record in CUSA play, losing only to Western Kentucky 19-17 in the regular season finale. But then Jax State came back to beat WKU 52-12 in the CUSA title game.
But much has changed since then. Charles Kelly is the head coach at Jax State, which now has to start the season against a Power Four program in UCF.
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Jacksonville State vs. UCF Betting Odds
UCF is a -20.5 college football betting odds favorite against Jacksonville State, with the Over/Under being 53.5.
The moneyline for Jacksonville State is +750, while it’s -1200 for UCF.
Jacksonville State vs. UCF On TV
The matchup between Jacksonville State and UCF will be televised on ESPN+.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 28. The contest is taking place at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Jacksonville State vs. UCF Prediction
I predict UCF will win but Jacksonville State will cover the 20.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 53.5 total points.
I know this Jacksonville State team will be different, not just because of the coaching change but also because the Gamecocks lost some talent from last year. But I still think Jax State will be a solid program in 2025.
Maybe UCF ends up winning by a couple touchdowns here. But I don’t think it’ll be a blowout, either. I’m anticipating Jacksonville State will be tough defensively and will make things difficult for its opponent in this one.
