Saint Francis (0-1) takes on Kent State (0-1) in Week 2 action on ESPN+ at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 7.
Projections have Kent State as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5.
Here's my Saint Francis vs. Kent State prediction.
Saint Francis vs Kent State Prediction
- Pick: Kent State -19.5 or Better
My Saint Francis vs. Kent State best bet is the Golden Flashes to cover the spread. Check out our live NCAAF odds page for the best odds.
Saint Francis vs Kent State Odds
The Saint Francis vs. Kent State odds haven't been released as of publication, but our college football expert is betting Kent State at -19.5 or better.
Saint Francis vs Kent State Preview
Saint Francis Red Flash Betting Preview: Tough Times Ahead?
Saint Francis comes into this matchup after a season-opening loss on the road at Dayton. On the surface, this doesn’t seem like much.
Looking deeper, Dayton plays in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League, which is often regarded as the weakest FCS league. Teams in the PFL rarely find victories outside of scheduling NAIA or Division II opponents — or while playing each other in conference play.
Saint Francis struggled to move the ball and accumulated just 68 yards of offense in the first half. It only scored a field goal after a Dayton special teams miscue set it up. Saint Francis passed for just 121 yards and had only two explosive plays.
This was a bad performance from a Saint Francis team that was hit hard by graduation and the transfer portal in the offseason. It could also be a sign of tough times ahead.
Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Preview: Flashes Trending Up?
Kent State is coming off a 24-55 loss at Pittsburgh, but I like what I saw from the Golden Flashes.
They were much more competitive against a Power 4 team than they had been in previous years and showed moderate offensive competence.
Kent State had an eight-play, 75-yard drive in the first quarter. The Flashes scored on special teams and had an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter and pull within 28-21. The defense still needs a lot of work, but the Flashes did force Pitt into 16 third-down attempts, a metric that reflects first- and second-down success to some degree.
The Flashes also forced two turnovers in the contest. Pitt ran an up-tempo, high-octane offense that eventually wore Kent State down in the final quarter, but we won’t see that from Saint Francis.
Overall, I like what Kent State brings back on offense, with Devin Kargman at quarterback and Ky Thomas at running back. Chrishon “Big Play” McCray leads the receiving group, and four starters return on the offensive line from last season.
Saint Francis vs Kent State Pick & Prediction
The Golden Flashes are 5-0 straight up and 4-1 against the spread in their past five contests against FCS competition.
In recent contests against Central Connecticut State, Long Island, and VMI over the past three years, Kent State won by an average margin of 53-10. Even in down years, Kent State can flex on lesser FCS competition.
I’m not sure how accurately the books can gauge how bad Saint Francis is this year, but after losing outright against non-scholarship Dayton, we here at Action Network can.
My play on this game is on Kent State to cover the spread, which I’d play up to -19.5.
Pick: Kent State -19.5 or Better
How to Watch Saint Francis vs Kent State Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Dix Stadium, Kent, OH |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 7 |
| Kickoff Time: | 2:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
Saint Francis vs Kent State Betting Trends
- Saint Francis is 0-1 SU and ATS this season after losing outright to Dayton 18-10 as six-point favorites.
- Kent State is 0-1 SU and ATS this season after losing to Pitt 55-24 as 23.5-point underdogs.
