Western Kentucky and New Mexico State open Conference USA play Thursday night in Las Cruces, with both teams looking to turn things around after respective 1-3 starts to the season. Kickoff from Aggie Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
The identical records have come against differing schedules, particularly for a Western Kentucky team that spent its first three weeks on the road. The Hilltoppers opened the year at Nevada before facing No. 2 Georgia and No. 4 Indiana in back-to-back weeks, then finally returned to Bowling Green for their home opener last Saturday.
The Hilltoppers rolled past Mercyhurst for their first win of the season, piling up 596 yards of offense behind a big performance from Rodney Tisdale Jr.. The quarterback completed 19 of 23 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters of action.
New Mexico State also enters conference play looking to build some momentum after an uneven September. The Aggies opened with a competitive loss at Florida State before picking up their lone win against Mercyhurst. They followed up the win by dropping a road game at Hawaii and a home matchup against rival New Mexico.
Running back James Jones has been one of the few bright spots for the Aggies. He rushed for 112 yards against New Mexico last week, giving him his second 100-yard performance of the season.
New Mexico State also got a spark from backup quarterback Adam Damante late in the loss. Damante completed 16 of 18 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns after replacing Trey Hedden, giving the Aggies an interesting decision at quarterback heading into their Conference USA opener.
Thursday will be just the fourth all-time meeting between these programs. Western Kentucky has won each of the last two, including a 35-16 victory last season.
Western Kentucky vs. New Mexico State Odds
New Mexico State is a short home favorite for Thursday night’s Conference USA matchup at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: Western Kentucky +2.5 (-110) | New Mexico State -2.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Western Kentucky +110 | New Mexico State -135
- Total: Over 56.5 (-110) | Under 56.5 (-110)
Referenced odds subject to change.
Best Bet for Western Kentucky vs. New Mexico State
Over 56.5 (-110): Western Kentucky might be one of the hardest teams in the country to properly evaluate after the schedule it was handed to open the season.
The Hilltoppers had to face Georgia and Indiana with both ranked inside the top five at the time, so there isn’t much reason to hold those matchups against them. Getting blown out by Nevada in the opener, however, is a little harder to overlook.
Nevada scored 49 points against WKU before losing its next three games. The Wolf Pack managed only seven points against Montana State, 20 against Middle Tennessee and 33 against Air Force during that stretch, making what happened in Reno a legitimate concern for the Hilltoppers’ defense.
New Mexico State hasn’t exactly given us a reason to trust its defense either. The Aggies surrendered 42 points to New Mexico last week, allowing the Lobos to pull away with three consecutive scoring drives to begin the second half.
Then there is the one opponent these teams have in common. New Mexico State beat Mercyhurst 51-14, while Western Kentucky beat the Lakers 52-7. There is only so much we can take from either performance against the same FCS opponent, but both offenses showed they were capable of taking full advantage when presented with a favorable matchup.
That’s what makes the total more appealing than choosing a side here. WKU’s brutal early schedule makes it difficult to know exactly how good the Hilltoppers are, but the Nevada game showed their defense can be vulnerable against much more manageable competition. New Mexico State has its own problems keeping opponents off the scoreboard.
With both offenses finally stepping into a matchup that should be far more competitive than several of their September games, we’ll look for enough scoring on both sides to clear the number.
- Best Bet: Over 56.5 (-110)
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet players are leaning toward New Mexico State:
- Moneyline: New Mexico State has received 65.6% of all moneyline tickets and 62.9% of the handle.
- Spread: New Mexico State -2.5 accounts for 62.9% of the spread bets and 72.5% of the money wagered.
- Total: Over 56.5 has garnered 59.7% of all tickets but 86.8% of the handle.
Western Kentucky vs. New Mexico State Game Info
- šļø Location: Aggie Memorial Stadium – Las Cruces, New Mexico
- š Date: Thursday, October 1
- ā° Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
- šŗ Where to Watch: CBS Sports Network
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