Let's head to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for a Conference USA clash on Tuesday evening. The Kennesaw State Owls (0-5, 0-1 CUSA) hit the road and will carry their winless record to take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (1-5, 0-2).
The game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
The Owls got trounced before their bye week against Jacksonville State, as it felt like a classic FCS game from a couple of years ago. They looked like they didn't belong on the same field as the Gamecocks, considering their defense was shredded on the ground all evening.
The Blue Raiders defense looked just as poor in a 48-21 loss to Louisiana Tech last week. Despite this, they enter the matchup as 10-point home favorites.
Oddsmakers set the total at 51.5, and plenty of money is pouring in on the over.
Let's break down this Conference USA clash and take a look at my Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee predictions and college football picks for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Prediction
- Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Pick: Under 51.5
My Middle Tennessee vs Kennesaw State best bet is for both teams to go under the total, with the best line currently available at BetMGM, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Odds
| Kennesaw State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -110 | 51 -110 / -110 | +280 |
| Middle Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -110 | 51 -110 / -110 | -360 |
- Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Spread: Kennesaw State +10 (-110) · Middle Tennessee -10 (-110)
- Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Over/Under: 51 Points
- Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Moneyline: Kennesaw State +280 · Middle Tennessee -360
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Preview
Kennesaw State Owls Betting Preview: Bad News All Around
It can't get much uglier for Kennesaw State in 2024, and its last game against Jacksonville State perfectly depicts that. The Owls got completely dominated from the opening kick in a game many thought the contest would be much more competitive.
Oddsmakers certainly didn't think so, considering they were 17.5-point underdogs before kickoff. The Gamecocks and Owls were FCS foes just two seasons ago, but they both looked like teams of a completely different caliber.
The Owls allowed 578 total yards and 63 points. They were dismantled on the ground for 384 yards, so it's safe to say the defense has essentially been a turnstile thus far.
KSU enters the game at 0-5, but finding any wins on its remaining schedule is tough. The transition to FBS was expected to be a tough season, but nobody thought it could be this bad.
Let's start with the defense since there aren't many positive aspects to speak about. The Owls rank outside the bottom 120 in Havoc, Defensive Finishing Drives and Defensive Quality Drives.
They're also outside the bottom 100 in Passing and Rushing Success Rate Allowed, so defensive stops are far and few between.
The Blue Raiders offense has been quite ugly thus far, so you can say the defense could be in for a break. However, I have no faith in the Owls. Luckily for them, the Raiders are a snail on offense.
Kennesaw has also had a bye week to prepare, so it's possible we could see a number of adjustments made by the defensive staff. This isn't a tough offense to prepare for, but given how poor this unit has looked, it's very tough to gauge if it'll hold on to cover the number.
Offensively, it's been just as bad. Against Jacksonville State, quarterback Davis Bryson went 6-for-14 with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
He has yet to establish consistency in a rush-heavy offense, and his offensive line has been dreadful. The Owls rank outside the bottom 125 in key offensive metrics such as Havoc Allowed and Rushing Success Rate and Passing Success Rate.
The Owls also go very slow on offense, so I would expect limited possessions from both sides with a lack of explosive plays. It's been a miserable offensive season thus far, and even with a plus matchup, they're untrustworthy against any team right now.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Betting Preview: Not Much to Show
Folks, if you want to have fun and dig into some bad defensive metrics, this is the matchup for you. It's fitting that both of these teams are in the same conference.
To stick with the poor defensive metrics, let's look at how putrid it's been for this Blue Raiders unit. Like the Owls, they rank outside the bottom 100 in prominent defensive metrics like Havoc, Passing and Rushing Success Rate Allowed, and Defensive Finishing Drives.
Opponents have scored at will when they enter their territory, which is a big reason they entered the matchup with one victory.
The bright side is that their offense has shown more flashes of upside, even with mixed results.
Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato has 1,554 passing yards with seven touchdowns but five interceptions. The Blue Raiders hardly ever run the ball, rushing it at a 44% clip.
They should find success against this porous Owls secondary, so I'd expect them to move the ball consistently through the air. However, given how bad both teams have been, it's hard to imagine any sort of competency from either unit.
If the Blue Raiders have shown any signs of competency through the earlier portion of the season, I'd be more willing to back them as 10-point favorites.
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Kennesaw State and Middle Tennessee match up statistically:
Kennesaw State Offense vs. Middle Tennessee Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 133 | 119 | |
| Line Yards | 134 | 61 | |
| Pass Success | 131 | 134 |  |
| Havoc | 126 | 121 | |
| Finishing Drives | 89 | 128 | |
| Quality Drives | 124 | 130 | |
Middle Tennessee Offense vs. Kennesaw State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 118 | 105 | |
| Line Yards | 108 | 72 | |
| Pass Success | 98 | 102 | |
| Havoc | 119 | 120 | |
| Finishing Drives | 129 | 123 | |
| Quality Drives | 78 | 123 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 114 | 85 |
| PFF Coverage | 69 | 126 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 56 | 107 |
| Middle 8 | 96 | 132 |
| Seconds per Play | 29.5 (117) | 28.9 (105) |
| Rush Rate | 62% (17) | 44% (124) |
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Pick & Prediction
This is a gross game, which calls for a gross pick. I'm targeting the under for the matchup, and it's mostly because I want to fade the Owls' horrific offense.
Right now, the total is sitting at 51.5 — right above a key number of 51. It seems like many believe that we're headed for a high-scoring affair, but I refuse to believe that with the Kennesaw State offense.
Given how bad both of these defenses have been and the slow pace of both offenses, I expect both teams to establish drives with a lot of clock churning. The key will be for the Owls to move the ball a bit, as they run the ball at a 62% clip.
If they can somehow play keep-away, it will lower the number of possessions in the game. The Blue Raiders' passing attack will eventually prevail in the end, but this is all about focusing on the number of possessions for both teams.
Given that there should be a lack of explosives, plenty of these offensive drives should take a lot of time off of the clock.
Hold your nose, and let's dive deep into the dumpster on Tuesday night.
Pick: Under 51.5 (Play to 51)
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Floyd Stadium, Murfreesboro, TN |
| Date: | Tuesday, Oct. 15 |
| Kickoff Time: | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Betting Trends
- 85% of bets and 98% of the money are on Middle Tennessee to cover the spread.
- 93% of bets and 97% of the money on the moneyline are on Middle Tennessee to win outright.
- 86% of bets and 96% of the money are on the over.
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Kennesaw State vs Middle Tennessee Weather
