The Kennesaw State Owls take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in Jacksonville, Alabama. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Kennesaw State is favored by -3 points on the spread with a moneyline of -170. The total is set at 54.5 points.
Here’s my Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State prediction and college football picks for Saturday, November 15.
Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Prediction
- Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State Pick: Kennesaw State -3
My Jacksonville State vs. Kennesaw State best bet is on the Owls to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Odds
| Kennesaw State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -115 | 56 -110o / -110u | -165 |
| Jacksonville State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -105 | 56 -110o / -110u | +140 |
- Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Spread: Kennesaw State -3, Jacksonville State +3
- Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Over/Under: 56 Points
- Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Moneyline: Kennesaw State -170, Jacksonville State +140
Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State College Football Betting Preview
Kennesaw State Owls Betting Preview: Halt! Hoot Goes There?
In just their second season at the FBS level, the Owls are proving that they belong. Their undefeated conference record is no joke. This is an elite CUSA defense. The Owls rank:
- 56th in Success Rate allowed
- 63rd in Explosiveness allowed
- 42nd in third-down defense
- 8th in average starting field position allowed
But while the defense is legitimate, the offense has lagged behind all year. Kennesaw State ranks:
- 103rd in Success Rate
- 128th in Finishing Drives
- 39th in Explosiveness (the one bright spot)
- 32nd in Tempo — it does play fast
Kennesaw should be able to take advantage through the air this week.
The Gamecocks rank 114th in Passing EPA Per Play, while the Owls rank 44th offensively. They also throw the ball a lot, ranking 23rd in passing rate. Look for Kennesaw State to perform better through the air this week than it has this season.
I noted that its explosiveness is a bright spot on offense. Stay tuned to see how that matches up with the Jax State defense.
Jacksonville State Gamecocks Betting Preview: Young and Spry
The Gamecocks are a similarly young program, only in their third year in FBS. However, the similarities end at the length of time these programs have been around.
Jacksonville State brings inverse strengths to Kennesaw State, ranking:
- 36th in Offensive Success Rate
- 36th in Finishing Drives
- 61st in Havoc allowed
- 45th in Tempo
This offense is built to move the ball on schedule, attack the edges and turn first downs into scoring opportunities.
Against Kennesaw State’s more traditional defensive structure, Jax State’s pace-and-space principles should generate consistent movement.
The defense, however, is another story. The Gamecocks have struggled all year in getting off the field and stopping their opponents short of the sticks. They rank:
- 123rd in Explosiveness
- 84th in Havoc
- 105th in Points Per Opportunity allowed
- 98th in average starting field position allowed
We're going to have a very interesting matchup when Kennesaw State has the ball.
I mentioned Jax State's struggles against the pass earlier, and they're very real. The Gamecocks are going to struggle to get the Owls off the field, especially since Kennesaw State should be able to manufacture some big plays.
Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Pick, Betting Analysis
Don't look now, but as we all predicted, Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State may be the most impactful matchup in Conference USA this weekend.
Both teams are 5-0 in conference play headed into this one, and it's safe to say this is the biggest game in Kennesaw State's history (but not Jacksonville State, which started conference play 7-0 last season).
In an era of super teams and conferences, it's a little sad there's been little to no coverage of these newer programs doing extremely well early on in their FBS histories (Jacksonville State started its FBS era with two straight nine-win seasons).
If you're reading this article, however, I can only assume you are a true ball-knower and college football enjoyer.
This should be a great game, and I can't wait to watch it.
Both these teams are evenly matched, but I do think that Kennesaw State has a huge advantage through the air on offense, led by quarterback Amari Odom, who's quietly having a great year, ranking 30th in PFF offensive grade.
I think the Owls will be able to attack the Gamecocks via the passing attack and take advantage of their shaky secondary. I'll take them to cover this small spread.
Pick: Kennesaw State -3
Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Betting Trends
