WESTERN KENTUCKY @ JAMES MADISON (JMU -7, 51)
WESTERN KENTUCKY UNDER 24.5 POINTS
Western Kentucky had 27 players enter the transfer portal. The Hilltoppers did not do so well down the stretch with those players left. WKU lost 3 of its last 4 games and averaged just 14.7 points over that span. QB Caden Veltkamp was the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. He will play for WKU, but he won't have many weapons on offense.
WKU will struggle to run the ball as they did over their last four games. JMU is a top-30 run defense and the Dukes rank 11th in the FBS in Defensive Rush Success Rate. WKU will have to rely on Veltkamp and the pass and JMU is also a top-30 pass defense. The Dukes allowed 22 PPG this season and held 8 of their 12 opponents to 24 points or less. With WKU missing so many players, JMU's defense will have the advantage.
CALIFORNIA @ UNLV (UNLV -3, 47.5)
HAJJ-MALIK WILLIAMS ANYTIME TD
Cal will not have starting QB Fernando Mendoza or WR Nyziah Hunter. UNLV head coach Barry Odom left to take the Purdue job, but the Rebels only lost one starter to the transfer portal. QB Hajj-Malik Williams will play for UNLV and he should shine.
After taking over at QB for UNLV earlier in the season, Williams threw for 1,845 yards and 17 TDs. He also rushed for 824 yards and 9 more scores. Williams scored a rushing touchdown in 7 of the 10 regular season games in which he played. He failed to score in the Mountain West Conference championship game. Boise State held him to just 56 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Williams did not have back-to-back games in which he failed to score this season. I like him to bounce back, even against a pretty good Cal defense, and put one on the board tonight.
VCU @ NEW MEXICO (NMU -2.5, 153.5)
NEW MEXICO ML
The Pit at New Mexico is one of the most difficult places to play in college basketball. VCU visits tonight and the Rams come in at 9-2 on the season. They rank 10th in the nation in points allowed per game at 59 PPG. This is the Rams first true road game of the season and, if you have followed Coach Rick, you know that we've mentioned how teams have struggled this season in their very first road game.
New Mexico has won 12 of its last 16 games overall and 7 of its last 8 at home. VCU is just 2-4 SU in its last 6 road games. I'll give the advantage to the Pit and take the Lobos to win straight up.
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