Kent State Golden Flashes vs Western Michigan Broncos Betting Pick & Prediction 10/26/24
ESPN+ will be covering the week nine matchup between the Western Michigan Broncos and the Kent State Golden Flashes, set to kick off at 3:30 ET from Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo. The Broncos are the heavy favorite with a -17 point spread, and the over/under line is at 59.5 points. The Broncos come in with a 4-3 record, while the Golden Flashes are still looking for their first win of the season.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES VS WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Western Michigan Broncos -17
This game will be played at Waldo Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, October 26th.
WHY BET THE WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS:
- We have the Western Michigan Broncos winning this one by a score of 39 to 21
- Not only do we have the Western Michigan Broncos winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -17
- Look for this game to go over the line of 59.5 points
Will The Kent State Golden Flashes Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Kent State heads into Week 9 against Western Michigan with an 0-7 record. They are ranked 134th in our power rankings and have a 0% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. So far, they are 0-2 at home and 0-4 on the road this season.
The Golden Flashes have an average scoring margin of -29.4 points per game and are 2-4 against the spread. They’ve been the underdog in all seven games this season, covering the spread twice.
This week’s over/under line is 59.5 points. Kent State’s games have averaged 62.3 points, and their over/under record is 4-2, with an average line of 55.6 points.
Kent State’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 16.4 points per game, which ranks them 133rd in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Their passing game is averaging 182.3 yards per game, and they have converted only 19.8% of their third-down attempts. Quarterback Tommy Ulatowski has thrown for 826 yards with a passer rating of 81.
Ulatowski has completed 40.8% of his passes, throwing eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Leading receiver Chrishon McCray has 543 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. On the ground, Kent State is averaging 82.3 rushing yards per game, with Ky Thomas leading the way with 327 yards and one touchdown.
Kent State’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 45.9 points per game. In their recent game against Bowling Green, they gave up 27 points and 440 total yards, including 313 passing yards.
Opponents are averaging 252.6 rushing yards per game against Kent State, while quarterbacks have posted a 118 passer rating and a 69.5% completion rate.
Are The Western Michigan Broncos Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
Western Michigan enters Week 9 with a 4-3 record, ranked 102nd in our CFB power rankings. They have an 87.5% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. The Broncos are 1-0 at home and 2-3 on the road this season.
Western Michigan’s ATS record is 3-3, with a -4.1 average scoring margin. They’ve been favored in two games, going 1-1 against the spread as the favorite and 1-2 as the underdog.
The over/under line for this week’s game is 59.5 points. Western Michigan’s games have averaged 67 points, with an average over/under line of 53.4 points. Their over/under record is 4-2 this season.
Western Michigan’s offense has been effective on the ground, averaging 191.6 rushing yards per game, ranking 33rd nationally. They are 32nd in rushing attempts, with Jaden Nixon leading the way with 617 yards, nine touchdowns, and an average of 6 yards per carry. Overall, the Broncos are scoring 31.4 points per game, placing them 37th in the nation, and we have them ranked 39th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9.
Quarterback Hayden Wolff has completed 68.5% of his passes this season, throwing for 1,378 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions. His passer rating is 113. Western Michigan ranks 15th in the country in completion percentage and 17th in passer rating. Anthony Sambucci leads the team’s receiving corps with 319 yards and two touchdowns.
Western Michigan’s defense has struggled this season, allowing 35.6 points per game, including 41 points in their recent matchup against Buffalo. They gave up 551 total yards, with 242 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, along with 309 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.
Opponents have averaged 179.6 rushing yards per game and 278 passing yards against Western Michigan, completing 65.3% of their passes. The defense has faced an average of 37 rushing attempts and 30.9 passes per game this season.