Louisiana Tech (3-6, 2-4 C-USA) travels to take on Western Kentucky (7-5, 5-0 CUSA) in Conference USA action on Saturday, November 16th. The game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET and can be seen live on CBS Sports Network.
Western Kentucky is currently listed as a favorite of 14 points in the contest, with a total set at 53.5.
Louisiana Tech has competed very well against some of the better teams in C-USA and is still fighting for bowl eligibility, while WKU seems to be headed for a collision course with Jacksonville State the last week of the season for a spot in the C-USA championship on the line.
Read more for my Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky predictions.
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Prediction
- Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Pick: Louisiana Tech +12
My Louisiana Tech-Western Kentucky best bet is on the Bulldogs to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at Caesars, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Odds
| LA Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12 -115 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | +360 |
| W. Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12 -105 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | -480 |
- Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Point Spread: Louisiana Tech +12 (-115) · Western Kentucky -12 (-105)
- Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Total: Over/Under 52.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Moneyline: Louisiana Tech +360 · Western Kentucky -480
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Preview
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Betting Preview: Recovering From Last Week's Letdown
Louisiana Tech played an exceptional football game last week, battling back from an early deficit against Jacksonville State.
The Bulldogs scored 23 straight points to turn a 28-14 score into a 37-28 lead with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. However, they blew the lead as Jax State kicked a field goal to cut the lead to six, and then, on the final play of the game, pulled off a Hail Mary touchdown with no time remaining.
Kicker Garrison Rippa would miss the extra point, however and the game went to OT, where the Gamecocks would win.
Defensively, La Tech did a nice job of containing the Jacksonville State rushing attack as the Gamecocks were held to just 191 yards on the ground with a 3.3 yards per carry average.
All of Louisiana Tech’s conference losses have come down to the wire, with the Bulldogs having a chance to win in the final minutes.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Preview: Perfect in Conference Play
Western Kentucky has been a great C-USA team all season with an undefeated record in league play but has looked a tad sluggish the last two weeks against two weaker foes.
The Hilltoppers have failed to cover the number as heavy favorites against New Mexico State and Kennesaw State while surrendering backdoor touchdowns late in the fourth quarter of each game.
Last week, the Toppers raced out to a 24-7 lead against NMSU, but the Aggies battled back and actually outgained WKU for the game. The pressure this week is squarely on WKU to keep winning and keep pace atop the C-USA standings.
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky match up statistically:
Louisiana Tech Offense vs. Western Kentucky Defense
 |  Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 124 | 94 | |
| Line Yards | 128 | 96 | |
| Pass Success | 113 | 97 | |
| Havoc | 113 | 117 |  |
| Finishing Drives | 119 | 29 | |
| Quality Drives | 117 | 19 | |
Western Kentucky Offense vs. Louisiana Tech Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 87 | 24 | |
| Line Yards | 67 | 24 | |
| Pass Success | 18 | 42 | |
| Havoc | 51 | 85 | |
| Finishing Drives | 40 | 61 | |
| Quality Drives | 54 | 31 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 95 | 10 |
| PFF Coverage | 90 | 98 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 114 | 32 |
| Middle 8 | 57 | 43 |
| Seconds per Play | 26.4 (49) | 25.9 (38) |
| Rush Rate | 53% (89) | 52% (85) |
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Pick & Prediction
I am going to take the points here with LA Tech. It hasn't been blown out in any conference game this season and the four losses in league play have come by a combined 23 points. Some strong indicators show the Bulldogs should have some success on offense and be able to move the football here.
I really like what I have seen in recent weeks from Louisiana Tech quarterback Evan Bullock, who is completing 66% of his throws on the season with a 12:2 touchdown to interception ratio.
La Tech also ranks 5th nationally in Offensive Standard Down Explosiveness and 8th in Pass Play Explosiveness. This is an area of weakness for WKU as the Toppers are prone to surrendering the big play far too frequently. The WKU defense ranks just 126th in Defensive Explosives surrendered on standard downs at 119th in Pass Play Explosiveness surrendered.
WKU has allowed 395 yards per game in conference play and has also struggled to stop the run. The defense ranks outside the top 100 nationally in Defensive Rush Play Success Rate, EPA Per Rush allowed and Rush Play Explosiveness surrendered.
It's hard to trust this WKU defense to lock in and get the stops required to cover a big number. We saw it against Kennesaw State and New Mexico State.
The WKU offense has been rolling right along, but the Bulldogs' defense has actually done enough here to make me believe they can provide some resistance. The Bulldogs are allowing just 121 yards per game on the ground this year with a 3.2 yards per carry average.
WKU already struggles to run the ball and I would suspect those struggles to continue here. WKU ranks outside the top 100 nationally in Offensive EPA Per Rush and Rush Play Explosiveness.
The Topper pass attack has been on fire most of the season, but the Bulldogs' pass coverage unit has been quietly decent this season. LA Tech ranks inside the top 70 nationally in Defensive EPA Per Pass and Pass Play Success Rate and only allows 191 yards passing per game.
The WKU offensive line has surrendered 18 sacks against this season and some additional pressure could be caused by solid coverage in the secondary.
WKU is the better team here and should likely win the game, but La Tech has been able to hang around in games and hasn’t lost a game by more than 10 points all season. I like the Bulldogs to hang around here as well and keep this one close throughout.
Pick: Louisiana Tech +12
How to Watch Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Houchens Industries L.T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY |
| Date: | Saturday, Nov. 16 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Betting Trends
Louisiana Tech vs Western Kentucky Weather
