Western Kentucky vs. Charlotte

Western Kentucky vs. Charlotte | 2020 NCAAF Expert Analysis

Written by on November 30, 2020

There is college football action on Tuesday morning this week! Yep, you read that right. Western Kentucky visits Charlotte at 10:30 a.m. ET in Conference USA action. The 49ers are short favorites on the NCAAF odds.

How to Bet Western Kentucky at Charlotte NCAA Football Odds & TV Info

  • When: Tuesday, 10:30 AM ET
  • Where: Jerry Richardson Stadium
  • TV: CBS Sports Network
  • Stream: CBS Sports app
  • Radio:com
  • Opening NCAAF Lines: Charlotte -1.5 (total 47)

Last Meeting

In 2019, Western Kentucky was a 30-14 winner over visiting Charlotte. Ty Storey passed for 283 yards and two touchdowns to lead WKU, which scored the game’s final 16 points. Lucky Jackson caught five passes for 141 yards and a touchdown for the Hilltoppers. Cory Munson kicked field goals of 45, 32 and 48 yards to help Western Kentucky build a 23-14 lead with 5:41 left in the third quarter. Story connected with Jackson for an 8-yard TD pass to cap the scoring with 8 seconds left in the third.

WKU and Charlotte have played only three times in their head-to-head series, all over the past three years. The home team has won every game so far.

Why Bet on Western Kentucky? | 2020 NCAAF Expert Analysis

WKU (4-6) last played on Nov. 21 and beat Florida International 38-21. The Hilltoppers recorded two defensive touchdowns in the third quarter and finished with their highest point total of the year. Devon Key, Eli Brown and Antwon Kincade led the defense on senior day with 10 tackles coming from both Key and Kincade while Brown recorded eight tackles and three tackles for loss. On the offensive side of the ball, Gaej Walker had 127 rushing yards, his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.

The Hilltopper defense ranks fourth in FBS with only 165.2 pass yards allowed per game. After the first game of the season at Louisville – in which WKU allowed 343 pass yards – the Hilltoppers have allowed only 145.4 pass yards on average over the past nine games. Since that opening game, WKU has allowed more than 162 pass yards only twice – at Middle Tennessee (217) and at #10/11 BYU (244) – not allowed any pass play over 42 yards.

That defense has 54 pass breakups this year, which leads the FBS. CB Dionté Ruffin leads the Hilltoppers with 10, while CB Roger Cray ranks second with 9.

Meanwhile, WKU quarterback Tyrell Pigrome has had 237 pass attempts this year without a pick. That’s the longest current streak in the FBS and the longest such streak in WKU history. Pigrome has a veteran offensive line in front of him as those five guys (Cole Spencer, Tyler Witt, Seth Joest, Jordan Meredith and Mason Brooks) have combined for 150 career starts, which ranks 3rd in the FBS.

This will be only the fifth game in program history played by WKU on a Tuesday. In terms of start times, it is believed to be the earliest ever for a game in the Eastern Time Zone.

Why Bet on Charlotte? | 2020 NCAAF Expert Analysis

The 49ers (2-3) will certainly be rested as they last played on Halloween and lost 53-19 at Duke. Over the last three games (2-1), Charlotte has averaged 35.3 points and 5.0 touchdowns.

The balanced attack has averaged 204.0 rushing yards, 221.3 passing yards and 425.3 yards of total offense over that span. In the last three games, five different players have scored a rushing TD and five different players have scored a receiving TD.

In its last two C-USA games, both wins, Charlotte averaged 43.5 points, scored at least five touchdowns per game and enjoyed a 52-28 scoring advantage in the second half. Charlotte scored TDs on 8 of 9 red zone trips in those two games. Charlotte has rushed for seven TDs in the last two C-USA games.

Charlotte has passed for over 300 yards in two of three C-USA games (at FAU: 314; at NT: 308). In the league opener at FAU, QB Chris Reynolds (314 yds) notched his third career 300-yard passing game. In the win over North Texas, Reynolds threw for 290 and two TDs (and caught an 18-yard TD pass).

Running back Aaron McAllister has turned in the 49ers longest run (66-yd TD vs. North Texas), longest reception (71-yd TD vs. North Texas) and a school-record kickoff return (98-yd TD at App State), this season.

The next tackle by senior safety S Ben DeLuca will break the 49ers all-time record for career tackles. DeLuca shares the record of 306 with former LB Jeff Gemmell, who finished his career last year. DeLuca also owns school records for forced fumbles (9) and fumbles recovered (6) in a career and shares the record for career PBU (17). Tyler Murray, a transfer LB from Troy, ranks 10th in C-USA and 68th in the FBS with 8.4 tackles per game and leads the team with two INTs.

Charlotte has scored TDs on 10-of-15 red zone trips (67%). Opponents are 10-of-17 (59%).

Game Trends

  • Hilltoppers are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win.
  • Hilltoppers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog.
  • Hilltoppers are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 road games.
  • Hilltoppers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
  • 49ers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
  • 49ers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a bye week.

Expert College Football Prediction

Charlotte 27, WKU 24

 
 

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet College Football Today
MyBookie Odds for the Games

 

College Football Betting Center


Updated NCAA Football Betting Odds | Online Betting