A big American Conference matchup highlights Thursday’s college football slate as the North Texas Mean Green (5-2, 3-0 American) host the Florida Atlantic Owls (5-2, 2-1 American) for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at DATCU Stadium.
Find our FAU vs. North Texas predictions, picks, and odds below for Thursday night’s Week 9 matchup.
FAU vs. North Texas Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists North Texas as a significant home favorite as the Mean Green look to extend their winning streak to five games Thursday night and remain perfect in conference play:
Florida Atlantic vs. North Texas Predictions
The college football season is in its second half, and conference races are heating up. Both FAU and North Texas sit near the top of the American Conference standings as they look to remain in contention for the championship game.
It may not be a matchup between ranked teams, but Thursday night’s game carries plenty of weight and is a great way to get ready for Saturday’s slate. Check out the available football betting markets at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook, including the one featured in our FAU vs. North Texas prediction below:
North Texas vs. FAU Best Bet: Over 78.5 Points (-110)
Thursday night’s total may seem very high, especially on a short week for both teams, and it is. However, these two offenses are the reason why.
North Texas’ 43.1 points per game is the second-highest average in the country, while its 525.7 total yards of offense per game ranks fourth. Florida Atlantic’s offense isn’t quite at that level, but the Owls are still averaging 37.3 points and 428.1 total yards per game.
With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that both offenses feature elite-level talent, with multiple players among the American Conference leaders in several statistical categories.
Starting with the quarterbacks, North Texas’ Tayven Jackson leads the American Conference in passing yards and has the second-highest completion percentage this season. Florida Atlantic’s Caden Veltkamp ranks third in passing yards and leads the conference in completion percentage. Both quarterbacks are tied for the second-most passing touchdowns in the American.
Moving on to the wide receivers, FAU’s Easton Messer and Kelby Valsin rank first and second in the American in receptions and receiving yards and are tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns with six apiece. North Texas’ Justin Stevenson ranks fourth in receptions, third in receiving yards, and leads the conference with seven receiving touchdowns.
The Owls’ run game isn’t as productive as the Mean Green’s, largely because North Texas features running back Jahiem White. White’s 861 rushing yards rank second in the American, while his 11 rushing touchdowns rank third. He’s also a threat out of the backfield as a pass catcher, entering Thursday with 250 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
There clearly isn’t a shortage of offensive firepower for Thursday night’s game, but it’s also worth mentioning how the defenses have fared this season. North Texas is allowing 30.6 points per game, including 39 in a win against Navy last week. Florida Atlantic is allowing 34 points per game and has given up 52.5 points per contest over its last two games.
- North Texas vs. Florida Atlantic Total Pick for Oct. 29: Over 78.5 Points (-110)
FAU vs. North Texas Betting Splits
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for FAU vs. North Texas at DATCU Stadium:
- Florida Atlantic is drawing more moneyline support for this important American Conference showdown, with 76% of wagers and 57% of the dollars.
- North Texas, however, is seeing the majority of support on the spread, with 63% of wagers and 73% of the dollars.
- The total is set high, but the Over is still generating 64% of wagers and 78% of the dollars.
Florida Atlantic vs. North Texas Preview for Thursday Night
UTSA sits atop the American Conference with a 7-1 overall record and a perfect 4-0 conference record, making it the team FAU and North Texas are both chasing. At the very least, both teams are trying to secure second place in the conference to earn a championship game berth at the end of the season.
North Texas currently holds that No. 2 spot thanks to an undefeated conference record and a 5-2 overall mark. The Mean Green had a tough Week 1 matchup against defending national champion and current No. 4 Indiana, suffering a 52-16 loss, but have since won five of their last six games and enter Thursday on a four-game winning streak.
The Mean Green’s most recent win was a 49-39 road victory against Navy this past Saturday. Quarterback Tayven Jackson threw three touchdown passes, including two to wide receiver Justin Stevenson, who also had 209 receiving yards. Running back Jahiem White rushed for 174 yards and two scores in the win.
It was another great offensive showing for one of the top-ranked offenses in the country, and North Texas will now face an FAU team Thursday night that has allowed 52.5 points per game over its last two contests.
Florida Atlantic also features a very good offense. It’s not quite as explosive as North Texas’, but it’s a dangerous unit nonetheless. The Owls are averaging 37.3 points per game this season and just scored 51 in a 51-49 win over Rice this past Saturday.
Even though FAU won last week, it may be a little concerning that it allowed 49 points to a 1-7 Rice team that was averaging just 17 points per game prior to that. Regardless, the Owls got back in the win column after a tough 56-24 loss to Army on Oct. 17 snapped a four-game winning streak.
Like North Texas’ Jackson, FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp also threw three touchdown passes in last week’s win. Wide receiver Easton Messer was his go-to guy with 162 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Kelby Valsin also had a solid game with seven catches for 78 yards. Messer didn’t just make an impact as a pass catcher, as he also carried the ball three times and scored on two of those attempts.
It goes without saying that Thursday night’s game could be a high-scoring affair.
FAU vs. North Texas Game Info
- š Where: DATCU Stadium, Denton, TX
- š Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
- ā° Kickoff: 7:30 PM ET
- šŗš» TV/Streaming: ESPN
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