LendingTree Bowl: Western Kentucky vs Georgia State Picks

We all agree that bowl season is one of the best times for college football betting, so let me go ahead and carve out your schedule for watching the LendingTree Bowl this weekend. You’re probably going to check out the First Responder Bowl first, then get curious and switch channels for a few minutes. 

That’s when I recommend planning your afternoon nap. Nothing against these two squads, but I find that an end-of-season battle featuring two teams with a combined nine wins is perfect for getting the rest that you deserve.

Let’s take a look at our best college football free picks and predictions for Western Kentucky at Georgia State, with kickoff/nap time set for Saturday, December 26 at 3:30 ET.

LendingTree Bowl: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Georgia State Panthers Betting Preview

Weather

It’s going to be unseasonably warm in Mobile on Saturday. You can expect a high of 55 degrees with sunny skies and winds blowing out of the west at 5 mph. Precipitation is not expected.
 Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.

Key Injuries

Western Kentucky: Dayton Wade WR (ques), Xavier Lane WR (ques), Kevaris Thomas QB (out) 
Georgia State: No injuries to report.
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.

Betting Trend to Know

Hilltoppers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. Find more NCAA betting trends for Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State.

Against the Spread (ATS) Pick

A bad start to the season for the Hilltoppers has given way to three straight wins for Western Kentucky, which is also looking for a bowl victory in back-to-back seasons. Former Maryland quarterback Tyrell Pigrome hasn’t been spectacular, but he sure has done an efficient job of taking care of the football. He’s thrown for 1,423 yards this season to go along with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. Pigrome can also take off when necessary, gobbling up 328 yards rushing and three scores. On defense, the Hilltoppers rank 37th in the country, giving up 24.1 points per game.

We haven’t seen Georgia State take the field since November 28 when they beat Georgia Southern 30-24. The Panthers have a Top-40 offense, and quarterback Cornelious Brown IV is a big reason why. The freshman eclipsed 2,000 passing yards and has tossed 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. When he goes to the air, Brown looks for Cornelius McCoy or Sam Pinckney. The two wideouts have combined for 1,112 yards receiving and nine scores.

This line appears to be spot on, but it concerns me that the Panthers haven’t played in almost a month. There’s a difference between being rested and rusty, and that’s too long of a layoff. I’ll take Western Kentucky and the extra half-point—which may very well end up being the difference.

PREDICTION: Western Kentucky +3.5 (-110)

Over/Under Pick

Do you know who likes the Under in this game? Everyone. We’ve already seen the Total drop 4.5 points. Western Kentucky has improved quite a bit on offense during the past two games, but on the season, the Hilltoppers are averaging only 18.8 points a contest. In other words, WKU hasn’t convinced bettors that their recent upswing will stick.

The Under is 7-2-1 in the Hilltoppers’ last nine games against teams from the Sun Belt Conference. Most of the value is gone here, but I still believe it’s the right side. If not, it’s nothing a good nap won’t fix.

PREDICTION: Under 57.5 (-110)

LendingTree Bowl: Western Kentucky vs Georgia State Betting Card

• Western Kentucky +3.5 (-110)
• Under 57.5 (-110)

Where Can I Bet on College Football Bowl Games?

You can bet on college football bowl game odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NCAA football point spreads, Over/Under totals, derivative bets and even prop plays as well. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.

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