Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Jacksonville State Gamecocks Betting Pick & Prediction 10/23/24
ESPN2 will be covering the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks matchup, set to kick off at 7:30 ET on Wednesday, October 23rd. The game is being played at Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium in Jacksonville. The over/under line is at 63.5 points, and the Gamecocks are the heavy favorite at -21.5 points. Middle Tennessee comes in with a 2-5 record, while Jacksonville State is 3-3 on the season.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS VS JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Jacksonville State Gamecocks -21.5
This game will be played at Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium at 7:30 ET on Wednesday, October 23rd.
WHY BET THE JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS:
- We have the Jacksonville State Gamecocks winning this one by a score of 42 to 19
- Not only do we have the Jacksonville State Gamecocks winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -21.5
- We see this game finishing below the line of 63.5 points
Will The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Middle Tennessee heads into Week 9 with a 2-5 record, facing Jacksonville State on the road. They are 0-3 away from home this season and rank 128th in our power rankings. Their chances of becoming bowl-eligible are slim, with only a 3.9% probability.
The Blue Raiders have not been favored in any of their games this season and have an average scoring margin of -19 points per game. Against the spread, they are 1-4 overall, going 1-2 on the road and 0-2 at home.
This week’s over/under line is set at 63.5 points, the highest for any Middle Tennessee game this season. Their average over/under line has been 55.5 points, and their over/under record is 3-2, with games averaging 51.9 points.
Middle Tennessee’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 16.4 points per game, placing them 128th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato has thrown for 1,760 yards, with the team ranking 25th in passing attempts and 22nd in completions nationally. They are 39th in passing yards per game, averaging 257.3 yards.
Vattiato has a passer rating of 87, with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Middle Tennessee is converting 37.9% of their third downs. On the ground, they are averaging 80.6 rushing yards per game. Jaiden Credle leads the rushing attack with 302 yards. Omari Kelly has 651 receiving yards on 38 catches.
Middle Tennessee’s defense had a strong showing in their recent game, allowing just 5 points and forcing two interceptions against Kennesaw State. They held the Owls to 234 total yards, including 103 passing yards and 131 rushing yards on 34 attempts.
Despite this performance, the Blue Raiders rank 87th nationally, giving up 35.4 points per game. They’ve allowed 289.6 passing yards per game and 164.4 rushing yards on average.
Are The Jacksonville State Gamecocks Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
Jacksonville State enters Week 9 with a 3-3 record, hosting Middle Tennessee. They are ranked 84th in our CFB power rankings, but have an 87.9% chance of being bowl-eligible. So far, they are 2-1 at home this season.
The Gamecocks have been favored in three of their six games, with a 2-1 record as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is +8.5 points per game, and they are 2-2 against the spread this year.
This week’s over/under line is 63.5 points, higher than any of their previous games. Jacksonville State’s over/under record is 3-1, with their games averaging 70.2 points and an average line of 56.6 points.
Jacksonville State’s offense has been productive, averaging 39.3 points per game, which ranks 16th nationally. They are 57th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. The Gamecocks have relied heavily on their run game, averaging 230.8 rushing yards per game on 40.3 attempts.
Tre Stewart leads the team with 472 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5 yards per carry. Quarterback Tyler Huff has thrown for 1,269 yards with a passer rating of 101. He has seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Jacksonville State ranks 96th in passing yards per game.
Jacksonville State’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 30.8 points per game. They rank 157th in the nation against the run, giving up 200.7 rushing yards per game. Opponents have averaged 214.5 passing yards per game, completing 57% of their throws.
In their recent game against New Mexico State, Jacksonville State allowed just 13 points but gave up 364 total yards, including 160 rushing yards and 204 passing yards.